Florida inmate charged with feeding jail's pet iguana ‘Mojo' to alligator

KEY WEST, Fla. — An inmate at a Florida Keys jail fed iguanas, including one considered a pet, to an alligator at a small zoo run by the jail, authorities said.

Monroe County jail inmate Jason Aaron Gibson, 40, was charged with animal cruelty Monday. He was already being held on a vehicle theft charge, the Sheriff's Office said.

Another inmate told deputies he was feeding a sloth Sunday when he heard a thump and saw Gibson tossing an iguana named Mojo into the alligator pen.

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The 6-foot-long alligator chomped down on Mojo and dragged him off. Deputies learned Gibson tossed another iguana to the alligator last month, officials said.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office Animal Farm houses about 150 confiscated or abandoned animals.

According to the Miami Herald, Mojo was a 13-year resident of the animal farm and one of the many pets tended to by several jail inmates locked up next door.

The farm is open to the public for free twice a month, but donations are appreciated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.