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Highlands Today

Big-Dollar Hunter Charged With Gator Hunting Violation

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By Dan  Fearson | Highlands Today

Published: October 9, 2007

LORIDA — A Lorida hunter whose Web site touts him as "Florida's Exclusive Guide and Outfitter" and who has been featured on several nationally televised hunting shows, is facing second-degree misdemeanor charges for attempting to take an alligator without a permit.

Daniel Santangelo, 42, of 5229 Bluff Hammock Road, was cited by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officials on Aug. 16, the first night of the 2007 Phase I alligator hunting season, in the Kissimmee River at Bluff Hammock.

The officer who pulled over the airboat said he saw one of Santangelo's passengers standing on the boat with a harpoon as he approached the vessel, according to Highlands County Courthouse records.

While the female passenger, who was referred to as "Mrs. Sweeny,"had a proper hunting permit, Santangelo did not.

The hunter first told the officer that he accidentally left the house with his wife's permit, which he produced. The officer later found out that Santangelo had a permit for Phase II of the hunting season, which was scheduled to begin on Aug. 22.

Other charges that Santangelo faces are attempting to take an alligator with a harpoon at night and altering a license.

Santangelo stopped hunting after the officer told him to do so.

Santangelo's Web site offers several hunting tours that are supervised by the hunter, and lists his Lorida address as a contact.

His alligator hunting tours start at $1,300, the Web site indicates.

That night, he had two female passengers, including a family member. "Mrs. Sweeny," appeared to be a part of the tour and records said that she was a resident of another state.

Santangelo has hired attorney Richard Pipkin to represent him, and entered a written plea of not guilty. He has a pre-trial conference set for Oct. 23, at 9 a.m., in front of Judge Anthony Ritenour.

Santangelo pled guilty in 2005 to misdemeanor charges of operating a private hunting reserve without a license.

Phone calls to Pipkin and Santangelo were not returned.

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