Suspect arrested for possession of multiple venomous snakes, narcotics near Central Texas middle school, game wardens say

CAMERON, Texas (KWTX) - A suspect was arrested for having multiple venomous snakes without the required permit or a hunting license and for possession of narcotics, according to the Texas Game Wardens.

“I’ve been here in Milam County for eight years and you think you’ve seen a lot and then something always surprises you none the less,” Milam County Game Warden Derek Rennspies said.

On Feb. 1, a Milam County Game Warden received a call from a concerned landlord about a tenant reportedly keeping multiple venomous snakes in an apartment near the Cameron ISD Middle School, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Due to the tenant’s history, game wardens from Travis and Williamson counties, along with the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the situation.

Authorities say, upon contact, the tenant admitted to having multiple snakes and allowed wardens to inspect them.

While inside the apartment, wardens found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in plain sight.

The game wardens said the suspect was then arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

The tenant’s apartment is within 1,000 feet of Cameron ISD Middle School, meaning the offense is within a designated drug-free zone.

After the arrest, the suspect also confessed to keeping a monocled cobra, a green bush viper, rat snakes, bull snakes and approximately 25 rattlesnakes without the required permit or a hunting license.

According to Cameron Park Zoo herpetology keeper Jack Cross, the suspect put himself in danger with the improper storage of the snakes.

“Keeping a very large amount of them in a very small space in a non-secured room in non-secured enclosures is not safe for ones health because it is a danger risk with these animals being as curious as they are,” Cross said.

The rarity of the snakes discovered in the inspected shocked Rennspies.

“Coming across those indigenous snakes is not a big deal,” Rennspies said. “But when you look in a box and there’s a cobra staring up at you it definitely gives you a little bit of a shiver I guess.”

Cross warned the escape of the venomous snakes could be dangerous to the public.

“It is relatively dangerous if one of these animals were to get out in the wild,” Cross said. “They’re very good at hiding so it would not be easy to find them.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife say wardens were able to get a search warrant, where they found additional narcotics, drug paraphernalia and more unlawfully possessed snakes.

Wardens seized the reptiles and sent them to a licensed permit holder equipped to care for them.

“He cared a lot about his snakes and he didn’t want to see them harmed,” Rennspies said. “It worked out just as well for us to have a permit holder take them versus any other action.”

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, the suspect is being charged with possession of a controlled substance penalty group 1, possession of drug paraphernalia, no valid hunting license and a violation for the lack of a non-indigenous snake permit.