A search of Carl Franklin King's car turns up quite a surprise for Florida deputies: six live gopher tortoises in the trunk.
As if the discovery were not unorthodox enough, King's reason for possessing the amphibians sure raise quite a skeptical eyebrow -- as the main ingredient in soup.
Saturday night, authorities stopped the 43-year-old's car on several outstanding warrants. After impounding the vehicle, they later discovered the tortoises in the trunk.
Aside from unrelated burglary and criminal mischief charges, King was nailed for animal cruelty.
The meat of a gopher tortoise is considered a delicacy; their intentional harm or murder is punishable in Florida by six months in jail and a $500 fine.
The animals survived and were released.
King was also cited in May for possession of four gopher tortoises. As of Sunday, he was being held in Pinellas County Jail on $20,500 bail.
