Turtle Man Jailed For Alleged Illicit Animal Deals

A Monee man wanted for his allegedly illicit dealings in alligators and turtles was jailed Wednesday afternoon,

Keith Cantore, 35, was charged with possessing or offering for sale two endangered alligator snapping turtles. He was also charged with possessing a Blanding’s turtle, six American alligators and 54 common snapping turtles “without a resident aquatic life dealer’s license.”

Cantore was booked into the Will County jail but did not stay locked up long. He posted $7,500 bail and was released after just two and a half hours.

A grand jury indicted Cantore last month.

In 2008, Cantore was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for selling undersized turtles. He also has a pending federal case for allegedly participating in turtle smuggling.