TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man is facing charges after he brought endangered deer into his home in the Florida Keys, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The FWC said Thomas F. Scancarelli, 61, of Big Pine Key was arrested on Feb. 27 and is facing 32 misdemeanor counts of violations related to an endangered species.
Scancarelli reportedly enticed multiple Key deer, a federally designated endangered species found only in the Florida Keys, into his home and fed them.
The FWC identified Scancarelli through videos shared on Facebook, including one where Scancarelli bragged he was watching Fox News with his new “BFF.” In total, Scancarelli posted 16 videos and photos of himself feeding or enticing Key deer into his home leading back to Oct. 14, 2023.
The FWC said feeding Key deer is harmful as it lessens their fear of humans and can cause the population to concentrate, leading to the spread of parasites and disease.
