RANKIN COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
State wildlife agents accompanied by an investigator from the Rankin County District Attorney's Office raided a home in the Regatta Subdivision in Rankin County Wednesday night. A man who lives at 165 Regatta Drive was arrested and charged with illegally harvesting wildlife.
Matthew Jason Richardson, 35, was arrested Wednesday night for capture of an alligator without a state permit. He was put in handcuffs and taken to the Rankin County Jail.
Richardson was free Thursday on a $2,500 bond and will appear before a justice court judge May 17 in Rankin County. Some weapons were also confiscated.
Rankin County District Attorney Michael Guest said, "There was some photographic information that was uncovered showing that the individual, at the reservoir, holding an alligator that had clearly been captured, and based on the information, wildlife and fisheries and the D.A.'s office obtained a search warrant that was executed for them to go into the residence."
"Everyone in the State of Mississippi should be concerned," said Jim Walker, spokesman for the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. "Anytime someone is out there illegally harvesting our wildlife, they are stealing from the people of this state."
Shane Langston, a Jackson attorney, told us he represents Richardson and the homeowner, David Lewis.
"We are told that they have Facebook pictures of him with an alligator. Someone fishing at the reservoir, accidentally caught an alligator, and they took a picture of it. And these are years old. It still would not even be a crime," said Langston.
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