US EditionOver 100 Fat-Tailed Geckos Found Abandoned in Central Florida Storage Unit
Kelvin E. Soto received four years probation and must pay over $5,000 in restitution after 41 of 111 geckos died from neglect in a locked storage unit, authorities said.
- On August 14, 48-year-old Kelvin E. Soto pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty in Osceola Circuit Court, Florida, for abandoning 111 African fat-tailed geckos in a storage unit.
- The case began after employees found the reptiles locked in filthy containers without food or water in November 2023, when the unit was prepared for auction after Soto stopped paying rent.
- FWC arrested Soto in Virginia and extradited him to Florida; investigations uncovered 41 dead geckos and 70 others that were severely malnourished, and it was found that Soto’s permit to display and sell reptiles was no longer valid.
- Soto was sentenced to four years supervised probation, 100 community service hours, forfeiture of remaining geckos, and over $5,000 restitution to the facility caring for the surviving reptiles, per FWC officials.
- Maj. John Wilke commended the investigation team for their commitment and meticulous efforts, which led to holding those responsible for animal abuse accountable and securing justice for the surviving animals.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Man pleads no contest to animal cruelty in Osceola reptile neglect case involving 111 geckos
A man pleaded no contest Thursday to animal cruelty in Osceola Circuit Court after being accused of leaving over 100 geckos in a storage unit for more than two months, authorities said Friday. The investigation into 48-year-old Kelvin Enrique Soto — not to be confused with Osceola County Clerk of Court Kelvin Soto — began after a complaint to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that abandoned reptiles had been found in a St. Cl…
Florida Man Sentenced For Cruelty After 111 Geckos Found Abandoned In Storage Unit
Former Reptile Seller Receives Probation and Community Service for Neglect of Animals A Florida man has been sentenced to four years of supervised probation and ordered to pay over $5,000 in restitution after being found guilty of felony animal cruelty. The charges stem from the discovery of 111 geckos abandoned in a filthy storage unit, […] Florida Man Sentenced For Cruelty After 111 Geckos Found Abandoned In Storage Unit
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