(Phoenix, Arizona) – The office of Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that a county grand jury has indicted Carlos Eduardo Castro Alcaraz (09/97) with one count of unlawful taking/handling/possession/sale of wildlife, a class six felony, under ARS 13-309D3.*

Castro Alcaraz was arrested in January after a social media post surfaced offering to sell a tiger cub for $25,000. Phoenix Police submitted a case for prosecution to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office after the cub was recovered and turned over to the care of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“One of my priorities when taking office was prosecuting crimes against animals as they are some of the most vulnerable in our community,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “It is reassuring to know that after law enforcement intercepted, the tiger cub was removed from the home, taken to a safe place and is currently in good health.”

*A charge in a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Alcaraz-Filed Indictment

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