Hearing set Thursday in wildlife trafficking case involving Myrtle Beach Safari owner

FREDERICK COUNTY, Va. (WMBF) – A wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty case involving the Myrtle Beach Safari owner will be in a Virginia courtroom on Thursday.

Online records show a hearing connected to Bhagavan “Doc” Antle’s case will take place at 9 a.m. Thursday. The district court website lists “advise about attorney arrangements” as the reason for the hearing. It’s not clear if Antle will be in the courtroom for the hearing.

Antle, who was also featured on the popular Netflix series “Tiger King,” was indicted in October on animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking charges. He has been 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.

The case surrounds a months-long investigation by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. Herring says Antle and the owner of a roadside zoo in Northern Virginia trafficked lion cubs between Virginia and Myrtle Beach Safari.

WMBF News was there in December 2019 when agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division served a search warrant on Myrtle Beach Safari. At the time, Antle told WMBF News that agents were there due to an investigation that originated out of Virginia.

Antle’s two daughters have also been charged in the case.