The alleged kidnapper of Maki the Lemur in 2020 has been charged with violating the Endangered Species Act, and faces a potential $50,000 in fines and a year in prison.
A California resident was charged for the alleged kidnapping of a rare and endangered ring-tailed lemur last fall.
According to a tweet shared by the San Francisco FBI, Cory John McGilloway was charged with violating the Endangered Species Act.
In October of 2020, 21-year-old Maki the Lemur was reported missing by the San Francisco Zoo.
According to People, Maki was found the next day abandoned at a playground and court documents state that he was in overall good health, but "hungry, dehydrated, and agitated” when he returned to the zoo.
McGilloway appeared in virtual court and was charged with a misdemeanor. The 31-year-old had been arrested by the San Rafael Police Department for an unrelated matter, and this led to the information the police needed to identify him, according to People.
McGilloway is looking at upwards of $50,000 in potential fines and up to one year in prison, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California office says.
