Spider monkey, snakes, drugs: Traffic stop, search of man's home leads to bizarre bust

USA Today

16-05-2025

Spider monkey, snakes, drugs: Traffic stop, search of man's home leads to bizarre bust
A traffic stop in California's North Bay area led authorities to search a man's home and find a spider monkey, rattlesnakes, and over $25,000 worth of methamphetamine.
Deputies in Vallejo, about 34 miles southwest of Sacramento, first made contact with a man named Clifford Vincenty on May 6, the Solano County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
Deputies stopped the 50-year-old that day, and when they searched his vehicle, they found half a pound of methamphetamine, the sheriff's office said.
Vincenty was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale. The next day, Solano County Vice Detectives and the Solano County Sheriff's Enforcement Team secured a search warrant at the man's home. They found another pound of methamphetamine, $26,000 worth of meth, more than $2,000 cash, a live spider monkey, and two live rattlesnakes.
Vincenty is facing additional charges, including possession of a controlled substance for sale and potential violations related to the possession of exotic animals, the sheriff's office said.
Animal Control took the animals and evaluated them, the sheriff's office said. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife helped place the spider monkey at the Oakland Zoo.
The Solano County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to requests for information on the whereabouts of the rattlesnakes. It was not immediately clear if Vincenty had legal representation as of May 16.
How is the spider monkey doing now?
The spider monkey, now named Violeta, was taken to the Oakland Zoo's veterinary hospital. The organization said she underwent a physical exam and is around 18 months old.
So far, she has undergone UV light treatments and calcium supplementation, the zoo said. She will also undergo a CT scan, a more thorough physical exam, and bloodwork to see how her organs are functioning and rule out infectious diseases.
'Veterinary Hospital staff are taking measures to ensure Violeta's overall wellbeing and have reported that she is doing well in her temporary home where keepers have set up enrichment, along with blankets and toys to keep her comfortable and stimulated,' the Oakland Zoo said about her.
She has been eating lots of fruits and vegetables. The Oakland Zoo said Violeta is also drinking formula to minimize the chances of bone fractures.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature – IUCN – spider monkeys are endangered, and two species within the group are classified as critically endangered and nearing extinction, the zoo said.
More news: Man sentenced in California for trafficking spider monkeys: 'Disrupted fragile ecosystems'
Act reintroduced to protect primates, and more on Violeta
While it is illegal to privately own primates in California, there is 'an underground market' for it, the zoo said. There are also no federal laws regulating primate ownership, and state laws include anything from total bans to species-specific permits.
The Captive Primate Safety Act was introduced to congress as early as 2005, according to GovTrack. The act was recently reintroduced on May 5, said Oakland Zoo Chief Executive Officer Nik Dehejia. Calling the act 'a critical step toward ending this exploitation,' Dehejia said the act would ban private ownership of primates.
Violeta is being treated at the Oakland Zoo's veterinary hospital, so guests cannot see her yet, the zoo said. The zoo offers hospital tours, but guests and tourists cannot see her yet.
Once she has recovered, the Oakland Zoo will work with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and another organization to find her a permanent home at an accredited zoo or sanctuary. There, she'll be able to grow up 'as normally as possible in a troop of other spider monkeys,' the zoo said.
Authorities said the investigation into the drug bust is active. They ask that anyone with information contact the Solano County Sheriff's Office at [phone].
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at [e-mail].