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Published on January 15, 2025
Miami Springs Man Charged with Illegal Alligator Kill in Big Cypress, Faces Felony & Cruelty OffensesSource: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

A South Florida man was arrested for the illegal killing of an alligator in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Vincent Edward Quinn, a 37-year-old Miami Springs resident, allegedly harvested an alligator without a proper license and out of the designated hunting season, as per an arrest report shared by Local 10 News and further reported by NBC Miami.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stated that the incident occurred on Saturday in a portion of Big Cypress off Loop Road in mainland Monroe County. Quinn was reportedly seen leaving the harvest area with only the tail of the alligator—an act that was tipped off to officials via their Wildlife Alert Hotline. Despite efforts to initially locate him on U.S. 41, officers eventually found Quinn at his 900 block of Apache Street residence, according to a report cited by Local 10 News.

During the confrontation at Quinn's home, FWC Officer Miguel Espinosa recalled Quinn's admission. "I asked if he knew why we had arrived at this residence, to which he stated he did not. I then explained that we were here due to a report of him harvesting an American alligator out of season," Officer Espinosa wrote to Local 10 News. "He claimed that he did harvest one; however, it was not here, and it was at the halfway house where he stays. I asked one more time if the alligator was in his possession, to which he then admitted it was on a table inside the backyard and would claim full responsibility for harvesting the alligator."

Authorities discovered parts of the animal, including its tail, hide, and meat, in Quinn's backyard. The way in which the alligator was killed also brought up concerns, as noted in FWC reports. "The alligator skull appears to have significant blunt force trauma," the arresting officer noted to Local 10 News, indicating a potentially inhumane process of dispatching the animal. Quinn, found in possession without the requisite hunting licensure, now faces a felony charge of illegal killing of an alligator and several misdemeanor charges, including conservation and animal cruelty offenses.

Following the arrest, Quinn was booked into the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office jail facility on Plantation Key and was being held on a $70,000 bond. He is scheduled for arraignment on February 4, as detailed by both Local 10 News and NBC Miami.

Miami-Crime & Emergencies