Couple Who Had An Alligator In Their Home Indicted

From the office of Kings County District Attorney Charles Hynes:

Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the indictment of Michael Volpe, 32, and his wife, Alisa Volpe, 25, for possessing weapons and drugs, and keeping an alligator in their West 6th Street home.  Michael Volpe was indicted on charges including three counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree. Michael and Alisa Volpe were both indicted on charges including three counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, Possession of Ammunition, four counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals and Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance, Wild Animals Prohibited and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. If convicted, Michael Volpe faces a maximum of seven years in prison and Alisa Volpe faces up to one year in jail.

On October 1, 2012, officers from the 66th precinct executed a search warrant at the home of Michael and Alisa Volpe, a one-bedroom basement apartment. The indictment charges that when the officers entered, they found metal knuckles, a fully-loaded revolver, and a loaded pistol. They also recovered a variety of prescription drugs including Alprazolam pills and Oxycodone pills. Marijuana was also found.  In addition, there was an alligator, which was approximately three feet long, in a tank in the living room, which was taken away by animal control. Under health code 161.01, most people cannot possess wild animals without special permit.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lisa Marie Vellucci from the Trial Bureau Green Zone and supervised by Deputy District Attorney Dianne Malone, Chief of the Animal Cruelty Unit.