Deputies in Maryland arrested a landlord on July 3 after he allegedly threatened tenants at gunpoint. The responding officers discovered a collection of unusual animals, including an alligator, a caiman, a snake, and an emu, along with six handguns on the property.
Sir Leander Evans Gamble, 57, of Waldorf, was charged with aggravated assault following the incident at a property on Penjack Place. According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, Gamble confronted three individuals renting a trailer on his property. He is accused of physically assaulting them before retrieving a handgun from his residence, pointing it at the victims, and threatening them.
The victims included a woman, her 28-year-old son, and the son's girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant at the time of the confrontation. The woman told FOX5 DC that the incident left her traumatized and facing financial difficulties.
A search warrant executed at Gamble's residence yielded six handguns. During the investigation, Charles County Animal Control officers were called to the scene and found multiple animals, including the alligator, caiman, snake, and emu, as well as dogs, cats, and pigs, reportedly kept in neglectful conditions.
Jennifer L. Harris, chief of media services for Charles County Government, stated that animal control officers determined the animals were being kept in conditions that violated Maryland animal cruelty statutes. All the animals were removed from the property, and an investigation into their welfare is ongoing. The renters also alleged that a dog named Carter died due to a lack of air conditioning in the trailer, though animal control has not confirmed the cause of death.
Gamble was being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center. Authorities indicated that additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.