NEW ORLEANS - Three men from Texas were cited after they found an alligator in Lafitte and brought it to New Orleans. 

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said Ediberto Sanchez, 48, Matthew Erwin, 45, and Elgein Konesheck, 48, all from Sealy, Texas, found an alligator near a park in Lafitte on May 30. The men brought the alligator to New Orleans and were spotted on the sidewalk of Esplanade Avenue with the animal, but were gone when authorities showed up. 

On June 3, the New Orleans Police Department shared photos of three men, one of which was holding a baby alligator with its mouth taped. The group was seen at the corner of Esplanade and Dauphine. 

The men told LDWF agents that they released the alligator into a nearby bayou unharmed at the end of the night. The three were cited for possession of a live alligator without a permit, which can bring a $250 to $500 fine.