Rapper Trapboy Freddy owned tiger seized during Dallas arrest, authorities say

Oak Cliff rapper Trapboy Freddy was the man arrested Wednesday at a Red Bird home where a tiger was seized, authorities confirmed Thursday.

About 2 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of Meadow Gate Lane to assist U.S. marshals in serving the 30-year-old, whose legal name is Devarius Dontez Moore, a federal arrest warrant.

Erin Dooley, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Texas, told The Dallas Morning News that Moore faces a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The U.S. marshals public-affairs office did not respond to requests for more information about the arrest. It was unclear Thursday whether Moore remained in custody or whether he had an attorney.

During Moore’s arrest, Dallas Animal Services was called to secure a tiger. The agency said the tiger was being held in protective custody “at an undisclosed location,” but the agency could not provide additional details.

News of Moore’s arrest, and the feline find, spread on social media Thursday, with one person tweeting “Free trapboy freddy’s tiger, he ain’t do nothing !!!!”

The rumors also led to the Dallas Zoo clarifying on social media the tiger was not one of their own: “We want to assure everyone our tigers are all accounted for and safe here at the Zoo.”

In June, Moore posted a photo of a tiger cub on a leash on Instagram. The caption linked to the Instagram account for “Cool Money Kennels,” which lists Moore as its CEO and has various breeds of puppies for sale.

Keeping a tiger as a pet is prohibited in the city of Dallas.

In 2018, Moore accused the Dallas Police Department of using excessive force against him during an arrest in east Oak Cliff.

Moore has previously pleaded guilty to gun and drug-possession charges in Dallas County. He has pending cases in Kaufman County on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and marijuana possession, court records show.

Dallas police did not say whether Moore would face any additional charges related to Wednesday’s arrest.

As for owning the tiger, failure to register a dangerous animal in Texas is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a daily $500 fine, according to the Gray Reed law firm. Additionally, the city of Dallas or Dallas County could sue Moore for a civil penalty between $200 and $2,000 per day.