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NEWS-COURIER (Athens, Alabama) 16 June 05 Snake Man is arrested (Tashia Lovell)
It's not the usual sight in Limestone County and it may be the first cobra ever confiscated in this county. But if county authorities have anything to do with it -- it will be last.
Limestone County resident Turner Davis Roberts, also known as "Snake Man," was arrested and charged Wednesday with the possession of a non-indigenous venomous reptile in violation of Alabama regulation after authorities discovered a rear-fanged water cobra in his home.
The Limestone County Sheriff's Department received a tip that Roberts had the snake in his home on Nuclear Plant Road. The snake is said to be native to Asia and parts of Africa.
Capt. Johnny Johnson with the Wildlife Freshwater Fisheries Division of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said it is illegal to have such a snake due to public safety and the lack on anti-venom. He said, as far as he knows, there is no anti-venom in Alabama to treat a bite from this snake.
He estimates that a person would die within hours from a bite by the snake without treatment.
Johnson said other snakes were found in the Roberts home, but the cobra was the only one in violation of state law.
Roberts kept the snakes in aquariums.
Johnson said that Roberts reported he got the snake from a resident in Cullman.
Johnson said that there is no jail time associated with the snake possession, but Roberts could receive a fine of up to $500.
Roberts' court date is set for Aug. 5.
Authorities said there are two possible options left for the snake -- it could be put down or taken to a zoo.
Snake Man is arrested

DECATUR DAILY (Alabama) 16 June 05 'Snake Man' loses his cobra (Holly Hollman)
Photo at URL: Athens animal control officer Lt. Ron Ultz grabs hold of a cobra that Limestone and state wildlife officials confiscated from an Athens home. Possession of non-indigenous poisonous snakes is illegal because of anti-venom unavailability. (Holly Hollman)
Athens: "I know the son of a gun's poisonous, and he's not from around here," Sheriff Mike Blakely said Wednesday about his latest prisoner.
Blakely's officers and wildlife officials confiscated a 4- to 5-foot-long water cobra from an Athens man's home. Possessing a poisonous snake that is not native to Alabama is a misdemeanor.
Blakely said someone called the sheriff's office about a resident on Nuclear Plant Road having the snake. Officers served a search warrant Wednesday afternoon and found three rattlesnakes, more than 20 boa constrictors and the rear fanged water cobra, investigator Randy King said.
Capt. Johnny Johnson with Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries said his office has charged Turner Davis "T.D." Roberts, 61, with possession of a non-indigenous venomous reptile. Johnson said water cobras are native to Asia and parts of Africa.
"They spread out at the head when they're mad, but they are not related to the cobras most people think about," Johnson said.
When Athens police animal control officer Lt. Ron Ultz coaxed the water cobra out of its wooden box in the Sheriff's Department parking lot, the snake did expand its head.
It did not strike at the grips Ultz used.
Johnson said Roberts kept the water cobra in a wooden box inside a glass aquarium. His other snakes also were in aquariums. It is not illegal for Roberts to have the rattlesnakes and boa constrictors.
"He says he just likes snakes," Johnson said.
Three years ago, Alabama made it illegal to own non-native venomous snakes because it is a public safety risk, Johnson said. Roberts bought the water cobra 11 years ago from a Cullman man, Johnson said.
"I don't know that we have any anti-venom for a cobra bite anywhere in the state," Johnson said. "You could die within hours of getting bit without it."
Sgt. Travis Gray, the wildlife officer assigned to Limestone County, said the department called Roberts about the new law three years ago.
"We told him to get rid of it (the cobra)," Gray said.
Blakely said Roberts is infamous in Limestone County.
"T.D. is known as 'Snake Man' and for doing things like making a lamp out of his wife's amputated leg," Blakely said. "T.D. has been in jail for all kinds of charges, but this is the first time for having a cobra, that I know of."
According to Sheriff's Department records, Limestone has arrested Roberts in the past for drug trafficking and assault.
Johnson said Roberts won't face jail time for having the water cobra. He said the maximum fine he will face is $500. His court date will be Aug. 5.
Johnson said the department will either euthanize the water cobra or see if a zoo permitted to have such snakes will take it.
'Snake Man' loses his cobra

....the obvious real joke here is that the snake was not a cobra at all & thus it is probably not illegal under Al law....the lad may have a good false arrest case to pursue...as well as a civil case against the snitch.