He was accused of illegally feeding Key deer in his home. Now, he’s got bigger problems
It turns out the Florida Keys man who let endangered Key deer inside his home to watch TV and eat human food was squatting, and weapons were found inside the home while he was there that add felony charges to his list of legal woes, according to police.
Thomas Scancarelli, 61, made international news last week when he was arrested after someone reported his multiple Facebook posts of photos and videos showing him feed Key deer — a type of small white-tailed deer only found in the Lower Keys — and letting them roam around his home in Big Pine Key.
Scancarelli even bragged in one of the posts that one deer became so comfortable in the home that it watched Fox News with him. Other posts show several deer inside the home, begging for food at the kitchen counter, and being hand fed human food like cheese and oranges.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission cops arrested Scancarelli last week on a total of 32 counts of violating the rules of handling and feeding the deer, each punishable by up to 60 days in jail.
The problems keep running up for Scancarelli after the wildlife officers’ Feb. 27 raid on the home. While they were inside, they saw three rifles hanging on the wall. Since Scancarelli has a felony conviction for drug charges, including cocaine trafficking, he’s not allowed to be in possession of any weapons.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Scancarelli Monday on two counts of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon while he was already in jail on the Key deer counts .
According to court documents, wildlife officers told the sheriff’s office about the guns when they booked Scancarelli into jail. The sheriff’s office then learned of his 2023 conviction on the drug charges, for which he was sentenced to a year in jail — with 210 days credit for time served — and probation.
No permission to live in the house, owner says
Deputy Jacob Ladd called the owner of the house, who told him that Scancarelli never had permission to live there to begin with, according to an arrest report.
The homeowner, who is a part-time Keys resident, said he hired Scancarelli to paint the house from November to January, but he was supposed to be gone by now. And, when he was staying there, he was only supposed to be sleeping in a downstairs enclosure, Ladd wrote.
The owner reviewed his security camera footage, which showed “Thomas was at the residence and inside when he had no permission to do so.” The homeowner has since changed the locks, Ladd wrote.
The guns belong to the homeowner, Ladd wrote, but since Scancarelli was staying there — giving him direct access to the weapons — he was arrested on the weapons charges, the arrest report states.
As of Friday, Scancarelli was being held in Monroe County jail on a $32,000 bond. Information about his legal representation was not immediately available.
Why you shouldn’t feed Key deer
The current population of Key deer is between 700 and 800, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They live between Big Pine Key and No Name Key — about 30 miles northeast of Key West.
“The largest bucks grow to less than a yard high at the shoulders and weigh about 80 pounds. The does are 24 to 28 inches at the shoulders and weigh about 65 pounds,” the state fish and wildlife agency says on its website.
Scientists believe their population is stable for now, but, the deer remain on the Endangered Species List. Feeding them places them at risk because it lessens their fear of people and makes them prone to approaching humans and approaching cars and trucks.
This story was originally published March 7, 2024 at 3:25 PM with the headline "He was accused of illegally feeding Key deer in his home. Now, he’s got bigger problems."
