The Grand Prairie man responsible for losing his pet cobra in 2021 has been sentenced to 180 days in jail with a 15-month probation period.
On Tuesday, August 3, around 5:30 pm, animal services contacted Grand Prairie police about a 6-foot West African banded venomous cobra that had escaped from its enclosure at the home of a resident.
Officers responded and spoke with the defendant, who said he purchased two cobras about two weeks earlier after winning a large sum of money on a lottery ticket.
The defendant stated that he fed the snake and left the room for 15 minutes. Upon his return, the cobra was gone. Defendant admitted that he did not have a locking mechanism on the premises even though he had previously escaped.
The man was charged with “releasing a snake from captivity,” according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code.
On July 26, 2023, the jury found the defendant guilty, and both parties agreed to a sentence of 180 days in jail on probation for 15 months.
