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Best known for his Netflix show of the same name, Bhagahan Antle was sentenced to two years with time suspended after being convicted of two counts each of wildlife trafficking and conspiring to wildlife traffic in June, authorities announced on Tuesday.
He was also levied a $10,000 fine by a judge in Virginia.
Following his conviction, Antle was also barred from working with, owning, possessing, brokering, buying, selling, transferring, bartering or donating toward any form of exotic animal in Virginia for five years.
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentence on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
"Today concludes a multi-year investigation and prosecution by my office," he said in a statement.
"In Virginia, we uphold the rule of law without exception, whether dealing with violent repeat offenders, big pharma, fraudsters and scammers, or wildlife traffickers. This case sends a clear message that bad actors will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth."
Additional federal charges against Antle are reportedly pending, according to a PETA spokesperson.
“Antle escaped a prison sentence this time, but he’s still facing multiple federal charges for alleged money laundering and alleged wildlife trafficking of animals, including endangered cheetahs and a chimpanzee," PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Welfare Debbie Metzler said in a statement.
"Based on his convictions in Virginia and his years of mistreating animals, including tearing baby big cats, chimpanzees, and other animals away from their mothers to be used in public encounters, PETA is calling on federal authorities to terminate the licenses that keep his sleazy roadside zoo operating.”
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