Davion Irvin: Suspect in theft of Dallas Zoo's tamarin monkeys indicted on felony burglary charges
DALLAS, TEXAS: A man suspected of stealing two tamarin monkeys from a Dallas zoo has been charged with felony burglary and six counts of animal cruelty, besides the attempted theft of a snow leopard. Davion Dwight Irvin, 24, was charged by a grand jury on Tuesday, March 14. He was arrested on February 2.
Police released a surveillance image of Irvin carrying a bag of Doritos while skulking around the zoo, presumably spying on animal enclosures, a few days prior to his arrest. Irvin was allegedly "looking to commit another crime," according to officials.
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What are Davion Irvin's crimes?
A clouded leopard disappeared from the zoo in mid-January. It was later found that the barrier in its enclosure had been broken. After a few days, two rare primates vanished. Irvin was subsequently implicated in the theft, and Dallas police discovered that they had been taken on purpose. Authorities in Lancaster, Texas said the monkeys were found in a closet of a house and were unhurt, as per Daily Mail.
What does the indictment say?
According to the indictment, Irvin allegedly entered a zoo building secretly before stealing the monkeys, CNN claimed. The indictment claims that Irvin had the "intent to commit theft" in the case of the snow leopard. Although no accusations have been made public yet, he was also connected to a langur monkey case, while officials claim that he had no connection to a vulture's death. Irvin remained in custody Tuesday at the Dallas County jail; his bail was set at $130,000, reports DRC. According to the terms of his bond, if he is released, he may be prohibited from visiting any zoos, aquariums, or pet shops.
What are the charges?
Davion Irvin, 24, has been charged with two counts of burglary by a Dallas County grand jury. He is also facing six misdemeanor counts of non-livestock animal cruelty related to the monkeys, said police.
What do the charges mean in Dallas?
If a burglary was done inside a house or other habitation, the offender may be found guilty of a second-degree felony. For this level of offense, the potential penalties include a $10,000 fee and/or a prison sentence of two to twenty years, as per mcconathylaw. Animal cruelty is now a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine and up to two years in prison under House Bill 653 and Senate Bill 1724, also known as "Loco's Law," which became operative on September 1, 2001, as per SPCA.