Tiger King’s Doc Antle is indicted on animal cruelty and trafficking lion cubs between South Carolina and Virginia

A wild animal trainer featured in the popular 'Tiger King' series on Netflix has been indicted in Virginia on animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking charges, officials said.

Attorney General Mark Herring said Friday that a months-long investigation found that Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle and the owner of a roadside zoo in Virginia trafficked lion cubs between Virginia and South Carolina. 

Antle, the owner of the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina, was one of the characters in 'Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,' a 2020 Netflix documentary miniseries that focused on tiger breeders in Florida and Oklahoma.

Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle was indicted on Friday by a Grand Jury in Frederick County, Virginia, on animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking

His role in the series was overshadowed by the botched murder-for-hire plot Joe Exotic, previous owner of The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, launched against big cat advocate, Carole Baskin. 

Antle, 60, is also the founder of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.).

The alleged mistreatment by Antle was done in a 'cruel, brutal or inhuman manner, so as to produce torture or unnecessary suffering'. 

Antle was charged with 'one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty'.

Additionally, two of Antle's daughters were also slapped with similar charges in the investigation. 

Tawny Antle was charged with one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor count of violating the Endangered Species Act.

'Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness' on Netfliz dfeatured Antle, but his role was overshadowed by Joe Exotic

Tilakum Watterson was charged with two counts of counts of cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of violating the Endangered Species Act.  

Antle, his two daughters and his co-conspirator, Keith Wilson, were all indicted by a Grand Jury in Frederick County.  

Antle could not immediately be reached for comment. Online court documents do not list the name of an attorney. A public relations representative for Myrtle Beach Safari did not immediately respond to a call and email seeking comment from Antle.

AG Herring also brought indictments against two of Antle's daughters on Friday 

Wilson, owner of Wilson's Wild Animal Park in Winchester, Virginia, was indicted with the exact same charges as Antle.  

Their indictments came after AG Herring's Animal Law Unit dug into the pair's relationship and determined each man was trafficking lion cubs.

'On or about July 24 or 25, 2019 Bhagavan Antle did unlawfully conspire with Keith Wilson to take within the Commonwealth any fish or wildlife (to wit: one female lion) appearing on any list of threatened or endangered species...'court documents said.

The investigation included authorities using a search warrant at Antle's Myrtle Beach Safari by Herring's Animal Law Unit. 

In August 2019, 119 animals - including lions, tigers, bears, camels, goats, and water buffalo - were seized from Wilson's roadside zoo after a judge found that Wilson 'cruelly treated, neglected, or deprived' the animals of adequate care.

Pictured: Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle (far right) poses with his staff (left to right), Kody Antle, Moksha Bybee, and China York, in a pool used in his tiger show at Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina

Antle is also the founder of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.) and owner of Myrtle Beach Safari

Those animals were transferred to animal control agencies and exotic animal rescue partner organizations.

'During a 12 hour seizure hearing held on August 29, 2019 in Frederick County General District Court, animal welfare experts testified as to the inadequate conditions and cruelty at Wilson’s Wild Animal Park and photo and video evidence was entered showing inadequate conditions of animals and facilities,' the press release said.

In November 2019, Wilson and his nephew were indicted in November on 46 counts of animal cruelty.

A trial in that case is scheduled in June. Wilson could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. A message was left with an attorney who represented him in the 2019 case.