Social Media Influencers Avoid Jail for Firing Guns at Alligator in Everglades

Social media influencers Braden Eric Peters, better known online as Clavicular, and Andrew Morales, known as The Cuban Tarzan, will avoid jail after accepting plea deals in a Florida case tied to a March livestream in which they fired guns at an alligator in the Everglades.

Peters, 20, who built an online following through controversial “looksmaxxing” content and livestreamed stunts, pleaded no contest in Miami court to misdemeanor firearms charges. Prosecutors said he unlawfully fired multiple shots at a dead or incapacitated alligator from an airboat while in the Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, a protected section of the Everglades.

Morales, 22, who is known for wildlife-focused content and also allegedly fired at the alligator, appeared alongside Peters in court and accepted the same agreement.

As part of the resolution, both men were sentenced to six months of probation. The terms include 20 hours of community service, completion of a firearms safety course and participation in an education program run by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, court documents obtained by CBS 12 state. They are also prohibited from monetizing or livestreaming their community service.

The case began after footage of the incident quickly spread widely on social media, prompting a swift investigation by the FWC. The agency later referred the matter for prosecution, citing concerns about the discharge of firearms in a protected public area.

Prosecutors argued the conduct violated state law governing firearm use in public spaces, regardless of whether the animal was alive at the time. Peters’ attorney said he was acting under the direction of a licensed airboat operator and maintained that no people or wildlife were harmed during the incident.

A third person connected to the case, Yabdiel Anibal Cotto Torres, is scheduled to appear before a Miami judge later this month, CBS 12 reports.

The Everglades case adds to a growing list of legal issues involving Peters. In February, he was arrested in Fort Lauderdale on a misdemeanor battery charge tied to a physical altercation at an Airbnb near Orlando involving his girlfriend and another influencer.

Investigators determined that Peters instigated the fight and then shared it on social media.

Peters has also faced separate civil allegations accusing him of battery, fraud and emotional distress, which he has denied.

Peters is known for popularizing the term “looksmaxxing,” which is the theory that maximizing one’s physical appearance — often through aggressive methods and surgical intervention — is the key to overarching superiority and success with women.