Two Baltimore men — photographer Vernon Crowfey III and animal handler Jayden Evans — were arrested after an undercover sting allegedly found snakes, a lemur and a spider monkey used in staged photoshoots inside a Towson Town Center parking garage. Charging documents say the animals were sourced without proper permits and kept in inadequate conditions; the lemur and spider monkey were transferred to the Maryland Zoo. Each man faces 23 misdemeanor and felony counts, including animal cruelty and arson-related charges.
Two Maryland Men Arrested After Alleged Exotic-Animal Photoshoots With Ring Of Fire
A spider monkey wraps its tail around its head on the ground at Botanika Resort on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, on 4 July 2026.Photograph: Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Two Baltimore-area men were arrested after authorities say they staged photoshoots that used exotic animals — including snakes, a lemur and a spider monkey — alongside semi-clothed models and a ring of fire inside a parking garage beneath Towson Town Center.
Photographer Vernon Crowfey III, 32, owner of Photogeniks, and animal handler Jayden Evans, 25, who operates Tarzan Exoticz, were taken into custody on July 16 after an undercover operation arranged a session involving the animals.
Sting, Search Warrant and Seized Animals
Investigators say the pair staged a shoot in a garage beneath the mall, where video and photos circulated online showing the concrete floor set aflame during the session. A Baltimore police detective confirmed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that neither man held a required Class C exhibitor or dealer license under the Animal Welfare Act.
An undercover officer later coordinated a photoshoot involving a lemur and a spider monkey. Police executed a search warrant at Evans’s residence and found snakes, lizards, rabbits, a tarantula and several other animals. According to charging documents, the animals were obtained from North Carolina without the required permits.
Allegations, Charges And Animal Welfare Concerns
Charging documents allege that the lemur and spider monkey were not kept in proper living conditions, amounting to neglect. Both men face a combined 23 misdemeanor and felony charges each, including counts related to animal cruelty and arson-linked offenses for allegedly setting portions of the parking garage on fire.
Crowfey told CBS News Baltimore: "We spoke with the security at the mall as well. We explained to him that we was gonna have the fire flame photoshoot. He told us basically just be out before the mall closed."
Authorities transported the lemur and spider monkey to the Maryland Zoo for care.
Jacob Thompson, owner of Global Pets, told WBAL: "Primates are not domesticated. They are wild animals. ... All it takes is for these animals to hit a maturity point or something triggers them to react in a way that's wild-like."
Broader Context
The arrests come as renewed attention focuses on the exotic wildlife trade following HBO’s documentary Monsters of God. Filmmaker Eric Goode has argued that popular culture can fuel demand for exotic and endangered animals — a trend that regulators and animal-welfare advocates say contributes to illegal trade and unsafe private ownership.
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities have not released additional details about the status of the criminal case or court dates.
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