Villa Park woman pleads guilty to keeping reptiles in inhumane conditions
A Villa Park woman accused of neglecting dozens of snakes and other reptiles will get them back as part of a plea deal.
Shelby Becci pleaded guilty Thursday to one misdemeanor count of failure to perform owners' duties for providing inhumane living conditions. Thirteen other counts of neglect and animal cruelty were dropped, according to DuPage County court records.
Becci was sentenced to one year of court supervision.
The plea deal required her to prove that she now has adequate facilities for the reptiles. They had been in the care of a member of the Chicago Herpetological Society while Becci - also known as Becci-Ortiz and Becci-Ortez - awaited trial. She will have to pay $1,400 in restitution to the society member.
Becci owned a traveling educational reptile show. She kept the reptiles in her home until it was damaged by a fire. She then rented space for them in a garage-like structure at an Addison man's home.
Sixty-five snakes and other reptiles were removed by authorities from the Addison property in February 2021 during a federal raid in an unrelated case.
When police and federal agents found the reptiles, five were dead and others were suffering from emaciation, thermal burns, anemia and other maladies, prosecutors said. The herpetological society was asked to take care of the reptiles.
Becci was charged in May 2021. It was alleged she did not provide adequate food, water, light and heat.