Not good in Wisconsin

Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics

I am visioning this happening a lot in the near future. Makes me think of the old McCarthy hearings of the 50s.

The future will likely be worse but just think about all these cases that may not even be sensationalized in the media, the little cases that go unheard of...

So what do you think is going to happen with Terry and his animals?

Honestly Steve,

I fear for the people who still have open cases regarding this subject. I feel bad that there isnt anything I can do to help the ones who are in this situation as some of them are people I consider friends and would hang out with if I were around them.

I think, at the very best, they look at us as animal hoarders. They look at us as the problem and they are going to want to erradicate the problem one case at a time. Luckily for me, I am a nobody in this business. I REALLY feel for the "big names" out there because they have to have targets on their back now. You make ONE mistake and you are toast if anyone knows who you are and where you are located.

I wont even put my address or phone number on my website anymore. My business cards have no address associated with it as well. Its a shame that these groups are targeting people who actually give a about animals in general. I cant wait until I hit the target list and they confiscate all of my animals because I have a few dead rats in my freezer.

Heaven forbid someone shoots my dog(s) too. Ive already had that threatening experience once by an officer of the law. You go onto ANYONES property in a threatening manner and the dog(s) that live will protect it. Sad thing is, dogs have more rights than humans, unless a cop decides to shoot one.

Updates on the topic... Cullen Turns himself

MILWAUKEE --
The owner of dozens of reptiles and rodents seized by Milwaukee police this month turned himself in to police on Wednesday morning.

Police have said since those raids two weeks ago that they wanted to speak with 60-year-old Terry Cullen. They got their chance on Wednesday.

So far, the charges aren't related to the care of the animals but to sexual assault.

Milwaukee police spent three days removing animals from several residences owned by Cullen, a self-described alligator expert.

Dozens of reptiles, turtles and rodents were removed from the homes on Milwaukee's south side.

Experts from local zoos and the Department of Natural Resources called the conditions sub-standard.

A woman living with Cullen was arrested on site, accused of possession of an endangered species and mistreating animals. But Cullen wasn't immediately arrested.

Prosecutors have been mulling charges for two weeks, and sources told 12 News they're poised to file formal charges on Thursday.

The most serious charge would include two counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping.

The details of the allegations will be released with the filing of the criminal complaint, but sources said the charges involve a woman Cullen met at a reptile show.

Cullen was released from police custody after he was questioned for nearly five hours.

He was also photographed and fingerprinted ahead of his court appearance, which he's been ordered to appear at on Thursday.

Lets see what happen at the court =/

Just found this news broadcast saying there are a total of 22 charges, involving both animals and sexual assault of a woman he met at Tinley. NEWS ARTICLE

one more recent posting:

Self-described reptile expert Terry Cullen, whose collection of snakes, crocodilians and turtles were seized by Milwaukee police earlier this month, was charged Thursday with trapping and sexually assaulting a woman in his fetid south side home.

Cullen, 60, also was charged with a dozen counts of animal abuse and violations of endangered and exotic species regulations.

An associate of Cullen, Jane E. Flint, 50, was charged with seven counts of animal abuse and violations of endangered and exotic species regulations.

According to a criminal complaint:

Cullen met a 24-year-old woman in February at a reptile swap south of Chicago. Cullen, who had brought with him a crocodilian named Mooshu, told the woman that he represented Cullen Vivarium Wildlife Conservancy and agreed to interview her for an internship in Milwaukee.

The woman lives in a small community near Chicago. About a week later, the woman's mother drove her to a restaurant on Milwaukee's south side, where the woman met with Cullen.

As the mother sat at another booth, Cullen spoke to the woman about an internship, then shifted the conversation to personal matters. He told her he had been born on a small island and had gone to medical school, where he specialized in gynecology. He was unable to finish school, he said, because an abusive father burned his dissertation. The complaint notes that medical students do not typically write dissertations.

The woman's internship began Feb. 27.

Her mother dropped her off at a south side restaurant, and Cullen picked her up. Before she began work, the woman told police, Cullen had her sign various contracts in which she promised she was not a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or a PETA spy. She also promised not to reveal where he lived.

Cullen took her to his home, which is in the 3400 block of S. 17th St., and showed her five large anaconda snakes in basement tubs. After a dinner in which he touched her and told her, according to the complaint, that intimate relationships "have no boundaries," he took her to a building in the 2300 block of S. 13th St.

According to tax records, the building on S. 13th St. is the home of Cullen Vivarium Wildlife Conservancy Inc. Cullen is listed as the nonprofit's president and director. Flint, who lives in the building, is listed as the organization's secretary and treasurer.

Cullen showed the 24-year-old woman four large dogs that he said were tamed wolves. While using a filthy bathroom, the woman told police, she was startled by a free-roaming crocodilian.

The woman told police she was scared and, being unfamiliar with Milwaukee, did not know where she was. Cullen took her back to his house on S. 17th St., which he told her was in an extremely dangerous neighborhood. She told police she sat down on a mattress in what seemed like an office area and began to cry. Cullen, the complaint says, turned down the lights, lighted candles and assaulted her.

The woman told police Cullen insisted she stay the night, and he drove her home the next day, the complaint says.

The woman did not report the assault until earlier this month.

Milwaukee police, responding to the sexual abuse allegation, searched the S. 13th location on May 12.

"Investigators were overcome by a strong and putrid odor of urine, feces and decomposing animals," the complaint says.

More than 200 animals, most of which were exotic reptiles and many of which were protected or considered endangered species under federal and state law, were removed.

The carcasses of dead animals intermingled with live animals, the complaint says. Mice and rats cannibalized each other. Turtles had mold growing on them, according to the complaint. Some crocodilians inhabited tanks so small that their snouts were pushed against the glass.

Investigators found a wading pool filled with dirt that appeared to be used for breeding crocodilians.

Besides the counts related to animals, Cullen also is charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment.

After an initial appearance hearing Thursday, Cullen's attorney, Stephen Glynn, adamantly denied the sexual assault charges.

"That's a flat not-guilty," Glynn said.

"That's a: 'I am not guilty. I did not do this. I will go to trial on it. I've got nothing to do with that.' "

Glynn also defended Cullen's work with animals.

"This is a guy who has spent his life dealing with these kinds of animals," Glynn said.

"He's got a local, statewide, national and even international reputation for doing good things with these creatures. He's never been involved in the sales of these animals. He's never been involved in their exploitation. He's involved in educational stuff."

So she was supposable raped in Feb then 3 months to report it .I say bullcrap made up story

This is an actual copy of the Cullen/Flint Criminal Complaint

to Joepythons-How can you say that because someone waited to report a crime, that it did not happen? I would bet money that rapes are often not reported right away due to the emotional trauma involved.
I am not saying that Mr Cullen is guilty, I do not know, but I am saying that neither do you. To declare this woman a lair based solely on the fact that she delayed reporting the incident is just simply not right.

I would steer clear of jumping to any conclusions to start with because there can be so much speculation in this type of thing. I agree with Joe that it does look pretty far fetched to wait that long to report something like that. A few days, a few weeks but months later is a big stretch even for me to beleive but time will tell as this plays out in the media judgement hall.

Originally Posted by MiIguanaLvr

to Joepythons-How can you say that because someone waited to report a crime, that it did not happen? I would bet money that rapes are often not reported right away due to the emotional trauma involved.
I am not saying that Mr Cullen is guilty, I do not know, but I am saying that neither do you. To declare this woman a lair based solely on the fact that she delayed reporting the incident is just simply not right.

Well where is the evidence? Its just he said she said without any REAL proof plain and simple.