Alligator Found In Home Of Chester Co. Drug Traffickers: DA

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — An alligator was found at the home of drug dealers in Chester County during a raid last week, officials announced Thursday. Fentanyl and numerous illicit substances were recovered, and three suspected traffickers were arrested.

The gator was used to "project an image of danger," according to the District Attorney's Office. He was safely rescued and brought to Brandywine Zoo.

The discovery was made while a search warrant was served at a home on the 100 block of Gibbons Avenue in South Coatesville on Friday, Feb. 8.

Inside, police found heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, marijuana, drug packaging materials, and more than $5,000 in cash.

The juvenile American alligator — which the suspects claimed was a caiman — was located in the kitchen of the home, officials said. When fully grown, he will be about eight to 10 feet long.

Arrested were Irvin "Gotti" Hawkins, 31, who rented the home, Aki Gathright, 35, of Philadelphia, and Tyrone Jackson, 40, of Columbia. They face charges of drug trafficking and related counts.

At Brandywine Zoo, the alligator will be an educational animal for the summer. He'll then be taken to St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in Florida, which borrows animals from Brandywine for its exhibits.

"We will provide care for the alligator and ensure it is healthy during its stay at hte zoo," Brint Spencer, director of Brandywine Zoo, said in a statement.

There is no specific charge for possessing an alligator under Pennsylvania law, officials said.

Images via Chester County District Attorney's Office