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More Than A Dozen Snakes, 3 Venomous, Seized From Maryland Home, Pet Shop

ALLEGANY COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- Three venomous snakes and a dozen other snakes were seized from an Allegany County home and pet shop Thursday by the Maryland Natural Resources police.

Police acted on a tip and officers armed with a search warrant removed a West African spitting cobra, a monocled cobra and a timber rattlesnake -- all about 3-feet long -- from a home in Crespatown. A dozen corn snakes were also seized from the Daddieo's Pet Store in Cumberland.

Both the pet shop, at 12512 Naves Cross Road, and the home on Winchester Road are owned by John Paul Stosick III, 47, of Cresaptown.

It is illegal to posses cobras and rattlesnakes in Maryland and the pet shop was selling the corn snakes without a permit. It also didn't have a certificate of origin for them.

The Allegany County State's Attorney is now reviewing the case and the snakes were taken to Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo.

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Courtesy: Maryland DNR police
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Courtesy: Maryland DNR police
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Courtesy: Maryland DNR police
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