Three men from Texas have been issued tickets in Louisiana for carrying a live alligator through the French Quarter in New Orleans.
The men were photographed carrying the three-foot long alligator on a busy city street on the evening of May 30th. New Orleans Police posted images of them on-line and sought help from the public in locating them.
They were identified as 48-year-old Ediberto Sanchez, 45-year-old Matthew Erwin, and 48-year-old Elgein Konesheck. All three are from Sealy, Texas -- along Interstate 10 west of Houston.
They told investigators they found the alligator in a park and held it for a while before they released it into a bayou. They said the alligator was unharmed.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said all three were issued citations for possession of a live alligator without a permit. That carries a maximum fine of $500.