RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — One of the stars of the hit Netflix series “Tiger King” was sentenced Tuesday in a Virginia courtroom.
Bhagahan Antle, also known as “Doc Antle,” was found guilty of illegally purchasing endangered lion clubs in Frederick County, Virginia, to display for profit at his South Carolina business,
In June, Antle was convicted for two counts of felony wildlife trafficking and two counts of conspiring to wildlife traffic.
“Today concludes a multi-year investigation and prosecution by my office. In Virginia, we uphold the rule of law without exception, whether dealing with violent repeat offenders, big pharma, fraudsters and scammers, or wildlife traffickers. This case sends a clear message that bad actors will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
A judge sentenced Antle to two years with time suspended for each charge. His sentence will run concurrently.
The Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, safari owner is required to pay the maximum fee of $2,500 per conviction, totaling a $10,000 fine.
Additionally, Antle cannot work, own, buy or sell exotic animals in Virginia for five years.
