A Florida man is facing a host of criminal charges after allegedly killing 13 alligators illegally.
Jacob Latreille, 21, is accused of assembling a small team to join him on his airboat for outings along the St. John’s River, during which the group reportedly hunted and captured alligators.
According to an affidavit supporting an arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE, Latreille allegedly steered his boat under the cover of darkness using only a flashlight to navigate while hunting the reptiles.
In doing so, he allegedly violated several state regulations, the affidavit notes, which was signed by a member of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Latreille now faces felony charges that could carry prison time for the overnight alligator hunts.
Individuals in Florida are permitted to capture just two alligators annually between Aug. 15 and Nov. 1, and only after obtaining a state-issued permit.
Each year, more than 15,000 applicants compete for the 7,000 permits granted for the Statewide Alligator Hunt according to the FFWCC. A permit costs $272 for Florida residents, while out-of-state hunters must pay $1,022.
Latreille did not have a permit when he allegedly embarked on his off-season hunts, capturing more than six times the legal limit, the affidavit states.
The affidavit includes images and videos allegedly obtained from the phones of individuals who joined Latreille on these nighttime excursions. One photograph shows Latreille posing with Luke Landry and five alligators at their feet in the early morning hours of April 28.
Other evidence reportedly includes stills from a video showing seven alligators—some dead, some alive—stored on ice in the front latch of the airboat, along with footage of Latreille instructing two people on the best methods to capture the reptiles.
The affidavit charges Latreille with 13 counts of illegal killing, possessing, or capturing of an American alligator. The Brevard County docket currently lists each count as “court to determine charge.”
Latreille was booked into custody on Sept. 22 and released after posting a $6,500 bond, according to jail records.
Each charge is a third-degree felony, which could result in up to five years in prison per count. If convicted on all charges, Latreille could face up to 65 years behind bars.
He does not yet have a lawyer, and no court date has been set. Latreille did not respond to a request for comment.
