William Frederick Buchman, 53, a sixth-grade teacher in Newport Beach, was charged with felony animal abuse. Santa Ana police served a search warrant in late January in the 2900 block of Fernwood Drive after receiving complaints from neighbors of a foul odor.
Inside, officers discovered hundreds of ball pythons, about 240 of them dead, as well as mice and rats, police said.
Buchman is accused of failing to care for the 182 snakes that were alive, which were found malnourished, dehydrated and covered with mites or maggots, district attorney officials said.
About 20 snakes died after being impounded. The remaining pythons were treated and released to rescue groups.
If convicted, Buchman faces a maximum of three years in state prison.
