Florida Man Hunted and Killed 13 Alligators on Late Night Boat Trips

A Florida man is facing a lengthy list of criminal charges after being accused of illegally killing 13 alligators.

Jacob Latreille, 21, allegedly assembled a small team of people to join him on his airboat for outings on the St. John’s River, during which the group would allegedly hunt down and capture alligators.

Latrielle would allegedly steer his boat under the cover of darkness while using nothing but a flashlight to guide the way as he hunted the reptiles, according to an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE.

In doing this, Latreille allegedly broke numerous regulations, according to the affidavit, which was signed by a member of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Now, he is facing felony charges and, if convicted, possible prison time for the overnight alligator hunts.

Individuals in Florida are allowed to capture just two alligators annually between Aug. 15 and Nov. 1 of each year, and only after being granted a permit by the state.

There are often more than 15,000 applicants for the 7,000 permits granted for the Statewide Alligator Hunt each year, according to the FFWCC.

The cost of a permit for a Florida resident in $272, while out-of-state residents are charged $1,022.

Latreille did not have a permit when he allegedly embarked on his off-season outings and captured more than six times the state limit on gators, according to the affidavit.

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The affidavit supports these allegations with images and videos that were allegedly obtained from the phones of individuals who joined Latreille on these late night runs.

One photo provided as evidence in the affidavit shows Latreille and an individual identified as Luke Landry posing with five alligators at their feet in the early morning hours of April 28.

There are also stills from a video showing seven alligators — some dead, some alive — being kept on ice in the front latch of the airboat, and another of Latreille allegedly directing two individuals on how best to catch the alligators.

The affidavit charges Latreille with 13 counts of illegal killing, possessing, or capturing of an American alligator, but the Brevard County docket reads “court to determine charge” for each of the counts.

Latreille was booked into custody on Sept. 22 and released after posting a $6,500 bond, according to jail records.

The charge as detailed in the affidavit is a third-degree felony, which means that if convicted, Latreille could face up to five years in prison on each count.

That could land him behind bars for up to 65 years if a jury should find him guilty of the charges.

Latreille does not yet have a lawyer and a date has not yet been set for his next court appearance. He did not respond to a request for comment.