PARRISH, Fla. — A 61-year-old man from Parish known as "The Monkey Whisperer" and his brother are behind bars after authorities said they were illegally trafficking monkeys.
Jimmy Hammonds and his 59-year-old sibling Johnny Hammonds, who's from St. Petersburg, secretly planned to sell wildlife animals and transported and sold marmosets, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday.
The brothers were charged with conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and Lacey Act trafficking. The DOJ said that if found guilty on all counts, the Hammonds could face 10 years in federal prison.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Favorit and Abigail King will prosecute the case.
"I felt like it was really strong-arm robbery."
Drivers hit with school bus camera fines in Polk County are frustrated that they must first pay more before appealing their ticket.
