October 9, 2020
SCDNR Officers in Chesterfield County, working in concert with the Chesterfield Co. Sherriff's Office on October 8, served a search warrant on a Cheraw man related to the illegal or improper harvest of American alligators.
The individual, identified by the CCSO as Julius Raymond Loflin, Jr., was, prior to his arrest, a state-contracted alligator removal agent and had been issued permits and tags by SCDNR's Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division for use in the legal removal and disposal of nuisance alligators.
However, evidence in an ongoing SCDNR investigation, as well as evidence recovered during a search of Mr. Loflin's home, including untagged carcasses and alligator parts, indicated that Mr. Loflin had not been utilizing permits issued to him appropriately and was engaged in taking alligators without the use of the proper tags and permits in violation of state laws.
Mr. Loflin's permit to act as a state-contracted alligator trapper was revoked immediately by the SCDNR. In addition, the SCDNR is in the process of reviewing evidence recovered during the search of Mr. Loflin's property. Mr. Loflin has not been charged with any wildlife violations at this time, but once review of all the evidence is complete, SCDNR officials anticipate that charges related to the illegal take of American alligators, as well as other potential charges, will be forthcoming.
The SCDNR's investigation in this case is ongoing.
Mr. Loflin was charged with a series of other offenses by CCSO deputies stemming from the execution of the search warrant and is currently being held at the Chesterfield County Detention Center (as of 10/9/2020).
Media Contact:
David Lucas
643-610-0096
LucasG@dnr.sc.gov