Man indicted for allegedly trying to sell tiger cub in Phoenix
Feb 28, 2023, 12:00 PM | Updated: 3:20 pm
Carlos Castro Alcaraz (Screenshot and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)
(Screenshot and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)
PHOENIX — The man arrested earlier this year for allegedly trying to sell a tiger cub to undercover Phoenix police last month has been indicted, authorities announced Tuesday.
A grand jury charged Carlos Castro Alcaraz with the class 6 felony of unlawfully bartering, selling or offering to sell wildlife. Class 6 is the least severe type of felony under Arizona law.
Castro Alcaraz allegedly was offering to sell a tiger cub for $25,000 on social media.
After learning about the proposal, officers contacted the seller posing as potential buyers on Jan. 23.
They gathered enough information to obtain a search warrant at a residence near Baseline Road and 27th Avenue, police said.
The tiger cub was seized and turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, authorities said. Police also found other exotic animals, including baby snapping turtles and a baby alligator, at the home.
“It is reassuring to know that after law enforcement intercepted, the tiger cub was removed from the home, taken to a safe place and is currently in good health,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a press release Tuesday.
The indictment was handed down Feb. 7. The defendant entered a not guilty plea on Feb. 17, according to online court records. His trial is set to begin in July.
