Men who used wild animals to film an illegal photo shoot in a shopping mall parking lot in Baltimore County have been arrested by police.
The Baltimore County Police Department charged photographer Vernon Croffey III (32) and wildlife trainer Jayden Evans (25) with animal abuse and illegal possession of wild animals for orchestrating the illegal photo shoot at the Towson Town Center parking lot on the night of the 30th of last month. They are accused of pouring gasoline on the parking lot floor and setting it on fire on the day of the incident, then using rare animals such as snakes and monkeys to film a photo shoot featuring female models.
Controversy arose after photos and videos of the shoot were circulated on social media. Additionally, police stated that they confirmed evidence that reptiles and arthropods, including snakes, lizards, and tarantulas found at Evans’ apartment, had been abused without receiving proper medical care.
In particular, the lemurs and spider monkeys used in the photo shoot were reportedly in such a severe condition due to malnutrition that their vertebrae were exposed. According to Maryland law, it is illegal for individuals to raise or own primates, including monkeys. The rescued monkeys have been transferred to the Maryland Zoo and are currently under protection.