Judge grants motion to modify Myrtle Beach Safari owner’s bond conditions in federal case

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – The owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, who was also featured on Netflix’s Tiger King, will be allowed to leave his home.

Doc Antle’s defense team filed a motion last week, asking to modify the conditions of his bond after he was arrested last year on money laundering and federal wildlife trafficking charges.

Some of his bond conditions include not leaving the state of South Carolina, home detention, surrendering his passport and not being able to possess a weapon.

The motion requested to remove the home detention condition, and also allow him to leave South Carolina in order to visit a friend in Atlanta.

“He has a loved one who recently suffered a serious injury, and his presence at the rehabilitation facility in Atlanta, Georgia, is required to visit the loved one and consult with medical personnel who are treating the loved one,” the motion states.

The government consented to Antle’s motion, and on Tuesday the judge granted the motion to remove home detention and allow Antle to travel to Atlanta.

Authorities first arrested Antle in June 2022 on money laundering charges.

He and his business associate, Andrew Sawyer, are accused of laundering over $500,000 in cash that they believed to be the proceeds of an operation to smuggle illegal immigrants across the Mexican border.

He was then charged in a federal wildlife trafficking case, where he’s accused of illegally trafficking animals such as lemurs, cheetahs and a chimpanzee.

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