COURTLAND—A Newsoms man charged with illegally possessing two juvenile alligators and 20 box turtles will appear in Southampton County General District Court in Courtland at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Jason Holloman, 31, faces up to $1,000 in fines for misdemeanor charges of allegedly possessing more turtles than permitted by law and possessing the alligators.

Holloman could not be reached for comment.

Acting on a tip, game officials on Sept. 22 seized the 18- to 20-inch long alligators and box turtles from Holloman’s home on Mount Horeb Road between Franklin and Newsoms.

It’s against the law to import a species — alligators — that’s not native to Virginia. Alligators are found in Florida, Louisiana and the southern parts of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

Virginians also cannot get a permit to possess alligators because people tend to release them into the wild, and game officials don’t want them in Virginia’s waters.

Holloman purchased the alligators at a reptile show in Pennsylvania.

Virginians can legally possess up to five box turtles. The turtles were seized because Holloman was over the limit.

The alligators have been turned over to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. The box turtles, which can live up to 100 years, went to a rehabilitation center in Virginia.

The alligators and turtles were in great condition when they were seized from Holloman’s home.