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Man Sentenced for Stealing Lincoln Zoo Tortoise

Michael Sullivan
Michael Sullivan

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man who pleaded guilty to stealing a red-footed tortoise last year from the Lincoln Children’s Zoo has been sentenced to 180 days in jail.

25-year-old Michael Sullivan was sentenced Friday.

The tortoise named Captain Hook went missing in March 2013 from her enclosure. Zoo officials say they didn’t report her stolen or missing because they thought she would turn up.

But zoo officials say they received an anonymous tip in June that someone had stolen the tortoise and was keeping it as a pet.

A woman at the address where the tortoise was found said Sullivan showed up — covered in tortoise poop — around 3 a.m. one day and gave her daughter the tortoise as a present.

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