Should Netflix star ‘Doc’ Antle remain in jail? Here is why he is not out yet.
The government is attempting to keep Bhagavan “Doc” Antle locked up pending a trial on federal money laundering charges — a move his attorney is describing as unprecedented.
Antle, owner of Myrtle Beach Safari and one of the stars of Netflix’s “Tiger King,” made his initial court appearance Monday in Florence County, where the complaint describing the allegations against him was unsealed.
Ryan Beasley, one of Antle’s attorneys, sent a statement to The Sun News Tuesday accusing the government of “grandstanding on the issue of bond because of all the media coverage.”
“I have never in my 20 years of practicing federal law witnessed the government move for detention on a case such as this,” he wrote.
The judge set bond hearings for 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
Derek Shoemake, the assistant U.S. Attorney serving as prosecutor on both cases, responded in a statement to The Sun News that the conduct alleged in Antle’s complaint is both serious and occurred while he was already on bond for other felony charges — referring to animal trafficking charges Antle faces in Virginia.
Shoemake added that Antle’s lawyers will have their opportunity to make their argument in favor of bond in front of the judge.
Beasley noted that Antle has no criminal record, operates a thriving business in South Carolina, where he’s lived for decades, and doesn’t represent a flight risk or danger to the community.
“This sounds like (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) pulling the strings of the (U.S. Department of Justice),” he wrote, referring to the national animal rights advocacy group that has long been critical of Antle.
Beasley also pointed to the government granting $75,000 unsecured bond to William James “Bill” Dallis, of Murrells Inlet, who is also facing federal money laundering charges in a related case. He was released Monday from J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County, according to online jail records.
The criminal money launder complaint against “Doc” Antle
The complaint against Antle and his employee, Andrew Jon “Omar” Sawyer, describes the two helping to launder $505,000 that they believed to have come from an operation illegally smuggling immigrants into the United States from across the Mexican border.
The person they were helping turned out to be a confidential informant for the Department of Homeland Security, who helped authorities execute a sting operation while recording interactions with Antle and Sawyer, according to the complaint.
They’ve been incarcerated since Friday, when they were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the prosecutor on the case informed the judge Monday of the government’s intent to move for continued detention.
Dallis introduced the confidential informant to Antle and went on to help the informant launder $560,000 in a similar sting operation, according to his complaint.
Antle, Sawyer and Dallis face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
