What looked like a quirky side hustle in Baltimore County is now at the center of a criminal case, after two local men were arrested in an undercover sting that authorities say exposed paid photoshoots with exotic animals, including a lemur and an infant spider monkey. Detectives served a search warrant last week at a Middle River apartment and say they found a tarantula, multiple snakes, lizards, rabbits and tortoises. The two primates that were seized are now in the care of the Maryland Zoo while the investigation plays out.
Undercover operation and what detectives found
Baltimore County detectives, working with FBI officials, posed as paying customers before moving in with a search warrant that led to the recovery of the animals. Charging documents cited by the Sun list a lemur and an infant spider monkey among the mammals seized, along with a tarantula and several reptiles. Investigators say evidence collected in the case ties the defendants to paid animal photoshoots with customers.
Seized animals now with the Maryland Zoo
Police confirmed Monday that the two primates are being housed and cared for by the Maryland Zoo, although a zoo spokesperson declined to comment on their condition while the criminal investigation is still active, per Fox Baltimore. Zoo staff will assess the animals' health and determine whether they should be placed at another licensed facility or remain under longer-term care.
Charges tied to a Towson Town Center shoot
Court records identify "handler" Jayden Evans, 25, and photographer Vernon Crowfey III, 32, as the defendants. They face several misdemeanor counts and a single felony malicious-burning charge linked to a reported shoot at Towson Town Center last month, where three women posed with snakes inside a ring of fire, according to Fox Baltimore. The malicious-burning allegation appears to stem from the fire staging described in the charging papers. Prosecutors have not yet publicly laid out a timetable for additional filings or court hearings.
Legal context
Maryland law bars the import, sale or possession of certain wild animals, including nonhuman primates such as lemurs and monkeys, and allows immediate seizure of animals when there is probable cause, with violations typically charged as misdemeanors, according to the state's digest of criminal laws. The statute says fines for individuals can reach up to $1,000 and gives authorities the power to hold animals that present public-safety or health risks. That legal backdrop helps explain why the primates were moved to a licensed zoological facility instead of being left in the apartment.
The arrests spotlight growing concern over the private exotic-pet trade and the risks that come with using animals as props for paid events or viral-ready photoshoots. Baltimore County detectives say the investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with information about similar activity to contact the department.
