Hudson Valley Parents Found With Illegal Turtle, DEC Says

A couple from the Hudson Valley is accused of trying to illegally keep a protected turtle as a pet.

Recently, officers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on foot patrol at Berean Park in the town of Lloyd noticed a man and woman fishing.

As the officer approached the couple, she noticed movement in their grocery bag. ECO Bastedo thought she would find a live fish flopping around in the bag, but instead, she discovered a live Painted Turtle, a protected species, officials say.

According to the DEC, the couple claimed they captured the turtle as a pet for their son.

Also inside the bag was allegedly an undersized largemouth bass mixed in with several legal sunfish. Neither individual could produce a valid freshwater fishing license, police say.

The couple was issued tickets for illegal possession of protected wildlife, taking undersized fish and for fishing without a freshwater fishing license, all returnable to the Town of Lloyd Court.

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Once the turtle was free from the bag it quickly returned to the water and swam off, according to the DEC.

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