Monday, 18 Nov 2024

Exotic animal collector featured on ‘Tiger King’ arrested in New York

A wanted animal sanctuary founder featured on Netflix’s “Tiger King” has been busted in upstate New York after he showed off pics of his exotic creatures, authorities said.

Timothy Stark, 55, was reported to Granville police around 11 p.m. Wednesday after someone saw him flaunting the photos of the animals kept at his sanctuary, Wildlife in Need, in Charlestown, Indiana, the Post-Star reported.

The tipster then did some research online about Stark, who collects exotic animals and founded the zoo.

“They realized there were warrants out for this guy and he was on the run,” Granville Sgt. Ryan Pedone said.

Stark was wanted on a charge of criminal contempt, as well as for intimidation and battery in connection to an incident in which he threatened a public official who was searching his sanctuary, the outlet reported.

Police on Thursday arrested Stark, who came out of his unit carrying a toy hand grenade, the paper reported.

“He was extremely cooperative — cracking jokes the whole time,” Pendone said.

He was brought to Washington County jail, where he’s awaiting extradition to Indiana, authorities said.

His animal sanctuary’s Facebook page responded to the latest allegations by calling the case a “witch hunt.”

“There has yet to be a conviction, a trial or proof of any allegations yet he continues to be treated as guilty until proven innocent,” Wildlife in Need said.

Stark appeared on the Netflix series “Tiger King,” which featured big cat collectors from around the country.

Authorities said that he’s in talks with documentary producers about the possibility of a second season, the Post-Star reported.

He lost his license back in June with the US Department of Agriculture after he allegedly abandoned animals without adequate care, food or water, WHAS-TV reported.

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