Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Big problems over little deer

He was accused of illegally feeding Key deer in his home. Now, he’s got bigger problems



A photograph a Florida Keys man posted on his Facebook page on Nov. 16, 2023, shows several Key deer hanging out inside a Big Pine Key home, according to Florida fish and wildlife officers. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

It turns out the Florida Keys man who let endangered Key deer inside his home to watch TV and eat human food was squatting, and weapons were found inside the home while he was there that add felony charges to his list of legal woes, according to police. Thomas Scancarelli, 61, made international news last week when he was arrested after someone reported his multiple Facebook posts of photos and videos showing him feed Key deer — a type of small white-tailed deer only found in the Lower Keys — and letting them roam around his home in Big Pine Key.


A photograph posted on a Florida Keys man’s Facebook page on Jan. 3, 2024, shows him feeding a Key deer inside his Big Pine Key home, according to state fish and wildlife police. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Scancarelli even bragged in one of the posts that one deer became so comfortable in the home that it watched Fox News with him. Other posts show several deer inside the home, begging for food at the kitchen counter, and being hand fed human food like cheese and oranges. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission cops arrested Scancarelli last week on a total of 32 counts of violating the rules of handling and feeding the deer, each punishable by up to 60 days in jail.



The problems keep running up for Scancarelli after the wildlife officers’ Feb. 27 raid on the home. While they were inside, they saw three rifles hanging on the wall. Since Scancarelli has a felony conviction for drug charges, including cocaine trafficking, he’s not allowed to be in possession of any weapons. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Scancarelli Monday on two counts of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon while he was already in jail on the Key deer counts .

According to court documents, wildlife officers told the sheriff’s office about the guns when they booked Scancarelli into jail. The sheriff’s office then learned of his 2023 conviction on the drug charges, for which he was sentenced to a year in jail — with 210 days credit for time served — and probation.

NO PERMISSION TO LIVE IN THE HOUSE, OWNER SAYS

Deputy Jacob Ladd called the owner of the house, who told him that Scancarelli never had permission to live there to begin with, according to an arrest report. The homeowner, who is a part-time Keys resident, said he hired Scancarelli to paint the house from November to January, but he was supposed to be gone by now. And, when he was staying there, he was only supposed to be sleeping in a downstairs enclosure, Ladd wrote. The owner reviewed his security camera footage, which showed “Thomas was at the residence and inside when he had no permission to do so.” The homeowner has since changed the locks, Ladd wrote. The guns belong to the homeowner, Ladd wrote, but since Scancarelli was staying there — giving him direct access to the weapons — he was arrested on the weapons charges, the arrest report states.




As of Friday, Scancarelli was being held in Monroe County jail on a $32,000 bond. Information about his legal representation was not immediately available. WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FEED KEY DEER The current population of Key deer is between 700 and 800, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They live between Big Pine Key and No Name Key — about 30 miles northeast of Key West. “The largest bucks grow to less than a yard high at the shoulders and weigh about 80 pounds. The does are 24 to 28 inches at the shoulders and weigh about 65 pounds,” the state fish and wildlife agency says on its website. Scientists believe their population is stable for now, but, the deer remain on the Endangered Species List. Feeding them places them at risk because it lessens their fear of people and makes them prone to approaching humans and approaching cars and trucks.

Sad story that is. The deer will miss him.

Wow

That house has to be infested with ticks and fleas.

In Tennessee we call whitetails that size "suitcase deer"- - - - - -tie the legs together and carry them out of the woods like a suitcase. They fit a big BBQ grill well.

Wow, what a dumbass.

I like the part where the deer watched Fox News with him. One would think the deer would like an outdoors program. Eventually the deer would get fat, unhealthy eating human food. He should have took the deer to McDonalds. The home owner was not too smart either. In a strange way, one homeless person was off the streets, now he is on the tax payers dollar .

Those are bigger than some of the ones I kill here

"Florida Man" 🤪

And deer poop!

Bragging that the deer watched Fox News with him was his first mistake. If he had said CNN I doubt that they would have raided him.

I think the weapons charge is a bit bogus. They were not his guns, though I suppose an argument could be made for "possession". As a juror, I would dismiss it, unless it be shown he physically handled them.

Lots of wives "possess" weapons for felon husbands.

The rest- yep, he's a dumbass.

Giving a deer a slice of kraft singles

🤢🤢🤢

Yeah, but he was squatting too. Throw the book at him!

lol!

He didn't let them roam in "his" house, the reason he didn't care is because it belonged to someone else. There is a squatter problem around the country that needs to be dealt with.

He could have said he identified as a lesbian deer, and they wouldn't touch him.....it is the Keys after all....

Nope. I was once on a jury where they found two .22 cartridges in a drawer at a house where a felon was being allowed to stay. Sent his ass right back to prison. No one wanted to hear my opinion, just to check one off the list.

Isn't that animal abuse- - - - -making it watch Faux Noose?

Amazing how many folks hang themselves via social media. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.