A cop peeked into a Florida man's fishing bucket and found a gator. Here's what happened.

David Goodhue, Miami Herald on Feb 5, 2025

Published in Outdoors

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MIAMI — A Hollywood, Fla., man was arrested last week after Florida wildlife police say they caught him with a live baby alligator when officers checked his fishing bucket in Monroe County.

The small reptile was found by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission police officer during a check on Loop Road in mainland Monroe County shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday night, according to an arrest report.

The officer pulled up to 29-year-old Carlos Fabian Mercado de Choudens, who was fishing with four other people. The officer checked one of Mercado’s buckets and found several bluegill fish, according to the report, which added Mercado didn’t have an active fishing license.

The officer spotted another bucket with rags and a spray. The officer asked Mercado to remove the rags and found the baby alligator under the items, according to the report.

“Mercado admitted to catching the baby alligator and stated he was a licensed alligator trapper but that he did not have a permit for the alligator,” Officer Brandon Catalano stated in his report.

Mercado told Catalano that he planned to keep the gator for a few months and let it go, according to the report.

The officer released the gator, as well as the bluegill, the report states.

Catalano booked Mercado into county jail on Plantation Key early Sunday morning on a third-degree felony charge of illegally killing, possessing or capturing an alligator or alligator eggs, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He was also booked on eight other misdemeanor conservation charges.

Mercado, who could not be reached for comment, was released later Sunday morning after posting a $70,000 bond. Information on his legal representation was not immediately available.

Loop Road is a rural road in mainland Monroe County within the boundaries of Big Cypress National Preserve that is popular with freshwater anglers.

FWC officers arrested a Miami Lakes man there earlier this month after they say he killed a gator and drove back to his home with the reptile’s tail in his car. Vincent Quinn, 38, remains in Monroe County jail on a $70,000 bond.