RALEIGH, N.C. — A week after animal control authorities captured a venomous snake that was loose in a north Raleigh neighborhood, dozens of charges were lodged Wednesday against the snake's owner.
Criminal summons were issued against Christopher Michael Gifford, 21, alleging he violated state regulations regarding the ownership of venomous reptiles. The 40 charges involved are misdemeanors.
Police reported early on June 29 that a resident on Sandringham Drive had spotted a zebra cobra outside their home. The report and the resulting search for the deadly snake sent the north Raleigh neighborhood into a frenzy, with jittery residents staying inside their homes.
One of the misdemeanors filed against Gifford states that the zebra cobra had been loose since last November and that Gifford didn't notify law enforcement when it escaped, as required.
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