SAN FRANCISCO — A Los Angeles man who stole a lemur from the San Francisco Zoo and released it on a Daly City playground days later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to no further jail time, court records show. There is
Corey McGilloway, 32, has spent most of the past 18 months in prison pending a resolution to his case. In June 2021, he was brought to the Bay Area on federal charges of violating the Endangered Species Act and briefly released to a mental health treatment facility, but after severing his ankle bracelet and escaping, Court records show that he was re-arrested.
In a plea deal, both federal prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that McGilloway has been in prison long enough. Lawyers for both sides also agreed that McGilloway needed treatment for his drug addiction, but the court did not order it as a condition of his release.
In October 2020, McGilloway snuck into the San Francisco Zoo after hours and took Maki, a 21-year-old ring-tailed lemur. A two-day lemur hunt began and ended when McGilloway left her creatures on the Daly City playground. The day before, he was seen walking with Maki on a leash on Treasure Island, prosecutors say.
McGilloway identified as a suspect After being arrested in San Ramon on suspicion of stealing a dump truck. When police searched his cell phone, they found a video of a lemur drinking water from a water bowl in McGilloway’s Saab.
Prosecutors claim McGilloway may have been planning to sell Maki because he Googled terms like “how much does it cost to buy a lemur” and “how much is a lemur”. , there is evidence that he simply wanted as a pet. He also searched for information on “what it takes to own a lemur”, possible lemur names, lemur diet and veterinary care.
McGilloway’s attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Elise LaRouche, said: “Whether it’s a mental health issue or a substance abuse problem, McGilloway understands he’s never been in a safe place and his The decision was clearly wrong.”However, Mr. McGilloway never intended to harm anyone. This was insane and I will never be involved again.”
Court records show that McGilloway will leave California to live with his family on the East Coast.
Maki passed away in March of last year at the age of 22 due to old age and kidney disease.San Francisco Zoological Society CFO Tanya Peterson make an official statement After his death, he praised his “amazing” perseverance in surviving the ordeal of being stolen.
“Maki has become a symbol of resilience and courage and has become a fan favorite,” Peterson said. “His story has raised global awareness of the endangered lemur. We are heartbroken by this loss.”
