Fla. man who faked snake capture faces charges

What a jerk this guy is. The reptile community has enough problems and he has to do this. I hope they put him in jail.

Here is the story.


BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- A Bradenton man who staged the capture of a 14-foot Burmese python has been criminally charged in the hoax.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Thursday 47-year-old Justin Matthews faces charges of misusing the 911 emergency system and threatening public safety by improperly maintaining the snake.

Matthews in July notified Tampa-area media to assemble and record him capturing the snake. He said at the time it was a threat to children and had probably lived in the area for years.

After the investigation began, Matthews admitted staging the event. He said he wanted to call attention to Florida's growing python problem.


Here is the link.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_PYTHON_CAUGHT_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME

I don't think he's going to go to jail on charges of misusing emergency services and threatening public safety. They'll most likely fine him and give him probation or something...

While it's a terrible thing he did for the reputation of our reptile community, I don't believe this is worthy of jail time and my tax money. Just my 2 cents.

Consider that tax dollars were surely used on the emergency services and further services in dealing with the snake afterward. Beyond that the emergency services that could have been used elsewhere were tied up with a man's poilitcal agenda.

Did someone die that day because the police officer was making a fake snake call instead of stopping the man who ran the red light?

Consider this as well. The definition of terrorism is: the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. Now I am not trying to equate him to someone who blows up buildings, but He did create a threat in order to coerece the community to react to his own political agenda.

I think that he probably does deserve some jail time. If for nothing else then for theft of tax payer dollars by way of theft of service.

I agree... some people make a living breeding these animals. So now what about the kids of those breeders that must suffer hard ship because of IDIOTS like this guy...