~Steve from Serpent's Den~

[critical bill]

Right back at cha, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

You too Ed, a happy and a healthy.

 

[critical bill]

Happy Thanksgiving Harold.

MORNING CALL (Allentown, Pennsylvania) 24 October 08 Venomous reptiles in Lehighton are skin-crawling discovery - 160 snakes had been abandoned in store. Many found ill, dead. (John J. Moser)



Lehighton police and animal rescue officers have confiscated 160 snakes, many venomous and dangerous, from a downtown exotic pet store whose owner left them ill and dying -- and unsecured -- in the closed store for months, officials say.

The July 22 seizure at Serpent's Den, which operated at 114 S. First St., was the largest known reptile seizure in the state, said Jack Ardey, an animal cruelty officer with the state SPCA. It came to light Thursday because an animal rescuer petitioned Carbon County Court to take them off his hands.

Authorities said they entered the closed store to find a boa constrictor crawling loose and other snakes in unsecured boxes and food containers.

In addition to the live snakes, investigators said they found nine dead ones. Forty-three of the snakes were ill when seized and three have died since, officials said.

The store's owner, Steven Markevich, 44, of 83 E. Third St., Jim Thorpe, and a woman helper -- described in court papers as Markevich's girlfriend and identified only as ''Becky'' -- have disappeared and are being sought, officials said.

Authorities have filed warrants against Markevich charging him with reckless endangerment, maintaining a public nuisance, 17 counts of animal cruelty and 160 counts of violating the borough exotic pet ordinance.

The reckless endangerment charge, which carries a maximum prison sentence of two years, comes from the snakes being kept without a license in a ''high-density commercial/residential district,'' according to court papers.

The storefront was locked Thursday, its windows covered with white paper and summonses taped to its door.

Chris Foley, the animal rescuer petitioning the court to release the animals, said that among other things, he faces risk handling the snakes and doesn't have antivenin to treat any bites -- and neither do local hospitals. Foley declined to reveal where he lives or where he is caring for the snakes.

If Foley is successful, the snakes would be released to be sold, Ardey said.

Foley's attorney, Stephen Vlossak of Palmerton, and Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Dydra-Hatton met privately on the matter but didn't reach an agreement.

Court papers give this account of the raid:

Authorities said they were alerted to the snakes by Keith Schaffer, the owner of an adjacent business, who told them venomous snakes were being kept in unsecured containers. He told police Markevich had not been at the store for more than three months, and ''Becky'' nearly that long.

Police met with building owner Michael Sulek, Foley and another animal rescuer, Kelly Switzer, and entered the store to find a ''rancid odor'' that intensified as they walked through the store.

They saw a boa constrictor crawling loose on the floor and found plastic containers holding live and dead reptiles, unsecured venomous snakes in wooden bins and 11 venomous snakes in containers with easily removed lids.

Other snakes were covered in feces and urine, Foley found some with respiratory and oral infections, and there was inadequate water and food for the animals.

Ardey, who was not part of the search, later determined the snakes' conditions were caused by the unhealthful conditions and carelessness of the owners.

Police said Schaffer previously complained about white mice being kept at the business, and authorities said they saw them at that time as well.

Police determined the conditions were ''a danger to residents and visitors'' and took custody of the animals. Foley said it took a 26-foot truck to transport all the snakes.

Neither Markevich nor ''Becky'' had a license to keep the animals, according to court papers.

Lehighton Borough Council in November adopted an ordinance that prohibits keeping exotic pets, such as reptiles, raccoons or porcupines, in homes or businesses within borough limits. Serpent's Den opened before the ordinance was adopted.

Here are the types of snakes investigators said they found in an abandoned Lehighton pet store:

103 ball pythons

16 boa constrictors

9 prairie rattlesnakes

7 unspecified rattlesnakes

4 sunset monocled cobras

3 Bredl's pythons

3 Brooks king snakes

2 Saharan sand boas

2 Honduran milk snakes

2 urutu vipers

2 Baja rattlesnakes

1 jungle carpet python

1 Irian Jaya carpet python

1 Dumeril's boa

1 leucistic Texas ratsnake

1 Moroccan cobra

1 black-necked spitting cobra

1 snake not identified

Source: Carbon County Court documents

 

[SERPENTS DEN]

Have a Happy and safe Thanksgiving all

 

[snakemansnakes]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

 

[singingtothewheat]

curious as to what the real deal is here.

I've read quit a bit about this and truthfully I am confused. The newspaper reports on this sound like the situation was very bad. I would like to know how someone selling animals on ks has anything to do with the actual shop being entered and found to be in a terrible state. Was this your shop steve? If so, why was it in that condition?
Like another discussion, when I've asked you to tell me what happened I get sent to look at stuff in different places. I'd like to see one statement that puts all of the pieces into place and offers some reasonable explanation for this.

I also find this the strangest boi because there seems to be attempts to Not talk about it, or avoid it by people that would normal rip the guts out of anyone else that was involved in something like this.
So, not that it will happen but it's a shot.
Either send me to a spot where I do not have to spend 10 hours trying to ferret out the story and a personal explanation or expect for me to avoid you like the plague and inform. others of what I do know about you.

 

[singingtothewheat]

Seriously?

You had no problem whatsoever dealing with a guy who reportedly went bankrupt and left his animals unattended to die in his store, defaulted on loans, didn't pay taxes or child support payments, and hid from authorities until he could find an attorney rather than face the consequences?

I mean this is the same Steve Markevich were talking about, right?

That Steve?

Was it a morph that crapped Gold Krugerrand's or something that tempted you?

would you mind sending me info you might have on this

 

[singingtothewheat]

I've read quit a bit about this and truthfully I am confused. The newspaper reports on this sound like the situation was very bad. I would like to know how someone selling animals on ks has anything to do with the actual shop being entered and found to be in a terrible state. Was this your shop steve? If so, why was it in that condition?
Like another discussion, when I've asked you to tell me what happened I get sent to look at stuff in different places. I'd like to see one statement that puts all of the pieces into place and offers some reasonable explanation for this.

I also find this the strangest boi because there seems to be attempts to Not talk about it, or avoid it by people that would normal rip the guts out of anyone else that was involved in something like this.
So, not that it will happen but it's a shot.
Either send me to a spot where I do not have to spend 10 hours trying to ferret out the story and a personal explanation or expect for me to avoid you like the plague and inform. others of what I do know about you.

I finally found a statement of sorts from an email and I would like to apologize to steve for bringing this up in another forum. Time will tell.

 

[SERPENTS DEN]

Seriously?

You had no problem whatsoever dealing with a guy who reportedly went bankrupt and left his animals unattended to die in his store, defaulted on loans, didn't pay taxes or child support payments, and hid from authorities until he could find an attorney rather than face the consequences?

I mean this is the same Steve Markevich were talking about, right?

That Steve?

Was it a morph that crapped Gold Krugerrand's or something that tempted you?

You base things on reportedly? To clear things up I filed Chapter 13 which my bills were consolidated to pay one monthly payment for an extended time.

I have never taking out a loan and was behind on taxes, not never paid taxes.

My child support issues FWI have been dismissed and I've emancipated my 22 and 26 year old daughters.

I had my reasons for not turning my self in, I wanted a retained attorney which I was unable to afford. But someone who was hiding I sure was pretty active online during the whole time huh?

That newspaper article you refer to is full of inaccuracies and outright lies. Any idiot can figure that out with a little critical thinking.

There was no animal cruelty and the animals were never abandoned, they were taken April 19th after my girlfriend notified my landlords that she was taking charge of relocating my animals/property and vacating the the storefront for me since I was at the CCCF.


A fact is Chuck you’ve never been to my store and your knowledge comes from hearsay.



I’ll admit when I’m wrong. Are you able to admit when you're wrong Chuck?

 

[kmarsh]

"Police said Schaffer previously complained about white mice being kept at the business, and authorities said they saw them at that time as well." Quote from post 22 from Critical Bill from the article he posted there.

I love tidbits that reveal some form of truth. Those of us that feed mice know that if the building had been vacant for 3 months then how were the mice still alive? After just a few days the mice usually will start killing each other off. Also how did this occupant from next door know so much if no one was going in and out of the building? He supposedly reported that there were venemous in unsecure cages and such?? Seems someone was either going in and out or had some inside info. There is alot to that story I could contiune to pick apart. I don't know Steve or this business nor have I done business with him but given the circumstances and alot of BS that some animal control and peta folks will do, I dont put alot of faith in their story unless I seen pics and video at the time of seizure. Everyone knows that they love publicity and this sounds like one that would have been great,,, if it were true.... Makes one have alot of questions.

 

[SERPENTS DEN]

You base things on reportedly? To clear things up I filed Chapter 13 which my bills were consolidated to pay one monthly payment for an extended time.

I have never taking out a loan and was behind on taxes, not never paid taxes.

My child support issues FWI have been dismissed and I've emancipated my 22 and 26 year old daughters.

I had my reasons for not turning my self in, I wanted a retained attorney which I was unable to afford. But someone who was hiding I sure was pretty active online during the whole time huh?

That newspaper article you refer to is full of inaccuracies and outright lies. Any idiot can figure that out with a little critical thinking.

There was no animal cruelty and the animals were never abandoned, they were taken April 19th after my girlfriend notified my landlords that she was taking charge of relocating my animals/property and vacating the the storefront for me since I was at the CCCF.


A fact is Chuck you’ve never been to my store and your knowledge comes from hearsay.



I’ll admit when I’m wrong. Are you able to admit when you're wrong Chuck?

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28527&highlight=serpents+den*


http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13657&highlight=serpents+den*


http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49286&highlight=markevich[/QUOTE]

.

 

[KingBowser]

I purchased a group of young ball pythons from Steve a couple of months ago, and they are absolutely flawless. He went above and beyond to help me purchase them and was very honest and helpful. One of the best sellers I have ever dealt with.

 

[PapayaPythons]

I emailed Steve about some baby ball python morphs and he referred me to faunaclassifieds (which I hadn't heard of as a first time internet-snake-purchaser - I grew up in the local-breeder herp era). The whole transaction process was relatively smooth and he held the babies for months due to weather (he never pressured to send when it wasn't ideal!). When they did arrive, they were very professionally packed - one pouch per snake and well padded / insulated. The snakes were all gorgeous, well-cared-for and one of them ate THE DAY SHE ARRIVED (I couldn't believe she was interested when I had rats in the room for the other snakes)!! They are all healthy and happy.