Maine game wardens seized five small alligators on Tuesday that were illegally being kept in Augusta.
Shortly after noon, game wardens responded to a call of a man in possession of alligators. Police found that Yifan Sun, 20, had the restricted species without proper permits.
Sun was issued a summons for importing or possessing wildlife without a permit.
The alligators were temporarily taken to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional office in Sidney, Maine, for care.
A spokesman for Maine game wardens said that possessing a restricted species poses a risk to public safety and can disrupt natural habitats.