Pet Store Owner, Nephew Indicted For Possessing Illegal Animals

The owner of a Levittown reptile store and his nephew were arraigned on a 52-count grand jury indictment, charging them with illegally possessing and selling dangerous and exotic reptiles.

Douglas Dellecave, 50, of Seaford, was arraigned on Nov. 30 and charged with illegal commercialization of fish, wildlife, shellfish and crustaceans, 19 counts of possession and transportation of wildlife, and 21 counts of possess, sale, barter, transfer, exchange and import of wild animals as pets prohibited. He is due back in court on Jan. 4.

His nephew, Anthony Cammarata, 27, of Levittown, was arraigned on Monday and charged with second- and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, illegal commercialization of fish, wildlife, shellfish and crustaceans, two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, 10 counts of possession and transportation of wildlife and 11 counts of possession, sale, barter, transfer, exchange and import of wild animals as pets prohibited. He is due back in court on Jan. 16, and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.

“We have laws restricting the possession and transport of endangered and dangerous animals to protect public safety, the environment and the animals themselves,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “This investigation not only uncovered a huge number of illegal animals, but unlawful weapons as well. I am grateful to our many law enforcement partners for their assistance in this case.”

On Sept. 10, after a months-long investigation, law enforcement agents from the Nassau County SPCA, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the Nassau County Fire Marshall, and the DA's Investigations Bureau conducted a search of Reptile Rage, a pet store on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown, and found several dangerous animals, Singas said, including a six-foot-long Asian Monitor Lizard.

Singas said that authorities discovered that Dellecave, who owned the store, did not possess the permits for the Monitor Lizard and several of the other exotic animals he had. Singas said that the Asian Monitor Lizard, which has a venomous bite, was housed in an unlocked tank in the front of the store.

After the investigation at the store, SPCA officials went to Dellecave's home in Seaford, where Singas said they found Cammarata with a Gila Monster, another venomous lizard, crawling out of a container in his car.

Singas said that a search of the car found three Gila Monsters, one alligator, two Dwarf Caimans (small crocodiles), five Mexican Beaded Lizards, as well as a silver 9mm handgun, a shotgun, ammunition and drugs.

“This indictment is just another example on how the Nassau County model for fighting animal crimes works," said SPCA President Gary Rogers. "Animal crimes are taken very seriously in Nassau County, as they should be.”

The investigation showed that the two had been importing reptiles from Florida, where they are legal, to New York, where they are not, for years, Singas said. Investigators seized 83 animals with a black market value of about $10,000, Singas said.

Also, charged in the indictment were Reptile Rage, Inc. for the illegal commercialization of fish, wildlife, shellfish and crustaceans; possession and transportation of wildlife; failing to have a fire alarm system; failing to have a carbon monoxide system and failing to comply with an order. D&J Reptiles Corp. was also charged for illegal commercialization of fish, wildlife, shellfish and crustaceans.

Douglas Dellecave, left, and Anthony Cammarata. Photos courtesy Nassau County District Attorney's Office