Wildlife offifficials say two anglers lured gator illegally, posted video

Animal released, but Wellington man, friend jailed.

Two men illegally lured an alligator to shore in May with fifishing line and some force — and told the world about it by posting a video online, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

David Jonathan Swick, 31, of Wellington and Brian Patrick Bunting, 28, of Newberry were fifishing near North Palm Beach County Airport offff the Beeline Highway, according to a report made public Monday.

They told investigators they knew they “could not mess with the alligators” but captured one anyway.

Both are charged with capturing the alligator, according to jail records.

FWC offifficials received an anonymous complaint about the two men in May, according to the report.

Offic ials say Swick and Bunting posted a video of them enticing the alligator toward the shore using a fifishing line and grass as a lure. The video begins with Bunting saying, “Have y’all seen anyone get bit by an alligator before?” the report said.

Once the gator is near the shore, Bunting tells Swick repeatedly to grab it by the neck. He eventually does, according to the report.

The two held the alligator and posed for pictures with it, offifficials said. Bunting told offifficials he and Swick released the gator.

Swick was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail early Saturday and released on a $1,000 bond that afternoon, jail records show.

Bunting was booked into the jail Sunday and released later that day on a 4,500 bond, records show.