'Alligator Man' investigated over videos

Man posts videos posing, dancing with small gator on leash

LEESBURG, Fla. – A Lake County man who calls himself the "Alligator Man" on social media is being investigated after he posted videos and pictures online of him posing with a small alligator, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said.

In a video viewed by more than 7,000 people, you can see the Leesburg man, identified by FWC officials as Jordan Bedford, dancing with the baby gator on a leash while someone in the background sings "Go, Alligator man!"

The alligator, which Bedford was holding by its tail, had tape around its mouth.

Bedford posted the video on Facebook with a caption that said, in part, "(I'm the) only person I know to walk an alligator in a leash."

The Nov. 2 video received a lot of attention on social media, but it wasn't Bedford's first post with the alligator.

On Aug. 16, he posted a video where he was dragging the small reptile by a leash. In the caption of that post, Bedford wrote that since people raised lions in Dubai, he wanted to raise an alligator.

He also said in the video that he trained all wildlife.

"We train dogs, we train gators. Hey, you got a horse? Whatever you got, bring it to me. I'll train it," Bedford said in the video.

Bedford said it was his "new pet" and called the alligator "Lebron" in the video.

The reptile could be heard in the video making noises as it was pulled on the leash with tape around its mouth.

It is unknown whether Bedford has a license to keep the alligator, but FWC officials confirmed that they are looking into the posts.

News 6 reached out to Bedford for comment but is still waiting to hear back.

Watch News 6 and continue checking ClickOrlando.com for updates on this developing story.

Editor's note: The audio of the videos in this story was edited to omit offensive language.


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