BIG PINE KEY, Fla. — A Florida Keys man was arrested Wednesday after he opened his home to a group of federally protected Key deer, letting them roam inside, where he fed them and watched Fox News with them, authorities said.
Thomas Scancarelli, 61, of Big Pine Key, was arrested by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He faces 32 misdemeanor counts of violations related to endangered species.
According to the FWC arrest warrant, Scancarelli let the deer into his home, recording or photographing them on 16 occasions and posting the encounters on social media.
In a Jan. 12 Facebook post, Scancarelli described how one deer became so comfortable with him, "it's watching Fox news with me now."
The post accompanied a video showing him hand-feeding a deer.
"Can't make this s--- up," he wrote.
In another video posted two days earlier, Scancarelli is heard admonishing the deer for rummaging through his garbage and banishing them to their "room."
"Go to your room," he said.
In a video posted on Jan. 3, Scancarelli is seen teaching a deer "stupid animal tricks," as he wrote in the accompanying caption.
A search of Scancarelli's Facebook page shows that he has been welcoming the deer into his home since at least November.
In a Nov. 23 video, Scancarelli is heard saying, "Maybe I'll make him a nice little cocktail. You want a cocktail? What would you like? Vodka watermelon? Lime? What do you want?" He goes on to say that the deer are "waking me up in the bed."
Key deer are endangered species, therefore making it illegal for anyone to handle or feed them.
Scancarelli was being held in a Monroe County jail Friday morning on a $32,000 bond.
