Approximately 100 Ball Pythons were removed from a residence near Jefferson following a February incident.

Greene County Sheriff Steve Haupert says when 42 year-old Anthony James McCain of Jefferson was transported to the State Mental Health Facility in Cherokee on Friday, February 21st, for making threats to kill law enforcement, he had a reported 100 pythons at his residence in the 1500 block of Q Avenue.

Sheriff Haupert notes that McCain has been committed to a mental health facility in the past for making threats to kill the President of the United States in which the Secret Service got involved but that no charges came from the investigation.

After he was committed, Sheriff Haupert states that he contacted a Compliance Investigator from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship who Anthony had dealt with in the past.  From there, Haupert called a Veterinary Doctor with Iowa State University that specializes in Zoo Animal Medicine on Monday, March 3rd and she determined that the reptiles needed to have better care while McCain was away.

The snakes were eventually given to a man who has the Snakes Alive exhibit at the State Fairgrounds.

Upon McCain’s release from the Cherokee facility, he was told about his snakes being removed from his residence and he agreed that he would not be allowed to get his snakes back.

Haupert adds that no animal cruelty charges will be pursued and McCain faces no other criminal charges from the February 21st incident.