Chinese Man Extradited for Financing Turtle-Trafficking Ring

 A Chinese citizen was extradited from Malaysia to the United States today to face charges for money laundering.

Kang Juntao, 24, of Hangzhou City, China, was charged in February 2019 with financing a nationwide ring of individuals who smuggled at least 1,500 protected turtles out of the United States valued at $2,250,000.

“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting criminals who abuse the U.S. financial system to fund their illegal enterprises,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jonathan D. Brightbill of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “I thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their extraordinary efforts in this case to support the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s mission to protect America’s wildlife.”

“Wildlife trafficking is a serious crime that impacts imperiled species at home and abroad,” said Aurelia Skipwith, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  “The Trump Administration is committed to the conservation of wildlife.  I would like to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our various law enforcement partners for their assistance with this case.  By working together, we can protect our nation's wildlife for future generations.”   

According to the indictment, from June 12, 2017, through Dec. 3, 2018, Kang allegedly purchased turtles in the United States and arranged for them to be smuggled to associates in Hong Kong.  He sent money through U.S. banks, including one in New Jersey, to pay for the turtles and their illegal shipments.  The turtles would then be sold on the Asian pet trade black market for thousands of dollars each, depending on their sex, coloring, and age. 

The United States, Malaysia, China, and approximately 181 other countries are signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES is an international treaty that restricts trade in species that may be threatened with extinction.

Kang allegedly trafficked in five turtle species protected by the treaty.  The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina), the Florida box turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri), and the Gulf Coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) are subspecies of the common box turtle (Terrapene carolina) and have been listed in CITES since 1995.  The spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) is a semi-aquatic turtle listed in CITES as of 2013.  The wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) has been protected under CITES since 1992.

The indictment further alleges that Kang sent money via PayPal to the United States to purchase turtles from sellers advertising on social media or reptile trade websites.  These suppliers then shipped the turtles to middlemen across five different states.  The middlemen were typically Chinese citizens who entered the country on student visas.  Kang paid and instructed these intermediaries to repackage the turtles in boxes with false labels for clandestine shipment to Hong Kong.  The turtles were inhumanely bound with duct tape and placed in socks so as not to alert customs authorities.  Neither Kang nor his associates declared the turtles to U.S. or Chinese customs or obtained the required CITES permits.

The Royal Malaysia Police arrested Kang on Jan. 23, 2019, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on a request submitted by the United States for his provisional arrest with a view to extradition.  An extradition request was subsequently submitted on March 5, 2019, pursuant to the Extradition Treaty between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Malaysia.  Kang’s extradition was finalized in September 2020 and he was surrendered to the United States Wednesday as provided by the extradition treaty.  The United States is grateful to the Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia, the Attorney General of Malaysia and the Transnational Crimes Unit, Prosecution Division, Attorney General’s Chambers for their steadfast cooperation and support in the litigation of the extradition request.  We also thank the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Malaysia Attaché, the Regional Security Office, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, U.S. Department of State, and the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for providing invaluable assistance in supporting the extradition and coordinating the return of Kang to the United States.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The USFWS conducted the investigation and escorted Kang to the United States. The government is represented by Trial Attorneys Ryan Connors and Lauren Steele of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section.

Justice Department Files Complaint against Jeffrey Lowe and Tiger King LLC for Violations of the Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act

 Today, the Department of Justice filed a civil complaint against Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe, Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park LLC, and Tiger King LLC, to address recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. 

The complaint alleges violations of the Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act and asks the court to declare that defendants have violated and will continue to violate the Endangered Species Act by illegally taking, possessing, and transporting protected animals, and the Animal Welfare Act by exhibiting without a license and placing the health of animals in serious danger.  The complaint also asks the court to require the defendants to relinquish certain animals to the United States, to cease violating these laws, to award the United States costs, and to grant other relief as appropriate. 

“The Lowes’ failure to provide basic veterinary care, appropriate food, and safe living conditions for the animals does not meet standards required by both the Animal Welfare Act and the Endangered Species Act,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jonathan D. Brightbill of the Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “Exhibitors cannot evade the law simply by shutting out the USDA and moving their animals elsewhere.  The Department of Justice will support the USDA in pursuing those who violate federal animal protection laws.”

“Animal exhibitors, whether they exhibit in person or on-line, must possess a license and provide adequate care for their animals as provided for by Animal Welfare Act regulations,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) General Counsel Stephen A. Vaden.  “This action reflects the priority that USDA places on the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act.”

Until August 2020, Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.  The Wynnewood facility exhibited numerous animals protected by the Endangered Species Act, including tigers, lions, and other big cats, a grizzly bear, and ring-tailed lemurs. 

In June and July 2020, USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service inspectors found numerous animals in poor health and living in substandard conditions at the Wynnewood facility, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act.  The Lowes did not provide timely and adequate veterinary care, causing the animals to suffer from easily treatable conditions, in some cases resulting in untimely death.  Animals were not provided with sufficient quantities of appropriate food and were underweight and suffering from nutritional deficiencies, making them susceptible to fractures, unable to stand or walk, and exhibiting neurological problems. 

The Lowes also failed to maintain sanitary and safe conditions, resulting in fly strikes on the animals’ bodies.  Fly strike dermatitis is a preventable condition in which flies continuously attack, bite, and penetrate the skin of an animal.  The flies lay eggs on open or irritated skin, causing infestations of maggots and painful sores.  Inspectors also found foul-smelling, partially burned and decomposing big cat carcasses and a broken-down refrigerator truck containing rotting meat.  They found no other properly refrigerated meat on site for the animals.  The Lowes also routinely separated big cat cubs and lemur pups from their mothers at too early an age for public “playtime” events, resulting in long-lasting harm.

As one example of this inhumane treatment, in June 2020, USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service inspectors observed a lion cub named Nala.  The cub was lethargic, depressed, thin, and would not get up out of the mud even after prompting.  She had discharges emanating from her nose and eyes, and sores on her ears. The inspectors directed the Lowes to immediately obtain veterinary care for Nala.  Nala was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, dehydration, and urinary tract infection, and was also suffering from fly strikes, parasites, and fleas.  Nala was transferred to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado in September. She has been diagnosed with malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies so severe as to cause a chronic bone fracture and lameness.

USDA suspended Jeffrey Lowe’s Animal Welfare Act exhibitor license and initiated an administrative action to permanently revoke his license.  Lowe has previously claimed to be above the law and, “If we lose a lawsuit, we simply change the name and open another business someplace else.”  Days later, Lowe unilaterally terminated his license and sought to put his operation beyond USDA inspection and investigation.  The Lowes then moved animals to a property in Thackerville, Oklahoma, located in the middle of a rural, residential area.  The Lowes have made public statements that the new Thackerville facility will be named “Tiger King Park” and will operate as a film set for television shows and other video content.  The Lowes do not have a license to exhibit animals. 

The complaint also seeks a court order to permit immediate inspection of the facility, to prevent the Lowes from exhibiting their animals in person or through online platforms, to prevent the Lowes from acquiring or disposing of any animals during the injunction, and for any and all veterinary records for any animals treated during the injunction.

The case is being handled by attorneys from the Environment and Natural Resources Division.  The case is being investigated by USDA’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service and the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Burn Pit

Lion Cub with Damaged Ear

Tiger with Damaged Ear

Tiger with Damaged Ear

Utah Man and His Company Indicted for Wildlife Trafficking

 A Utah man and his company were charged in an indictment today with violating the Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act for their role in illegal wildlife trafficking, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jonathan D. Brightbill of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney John W. Huber of the District of Utah.   

Jean-Michel Arrigona, 58, and his company Natur, Inc. in Midvale, Utah, sell wildlife in the forms of art, taxidermy mounts, bones, and skeletons.  The indictment alleges that Arrigona imported wildlife into the United States without declaring it to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or customs authorities.  He later resold the wildlife from the Natur store and its website.

The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking statute and prohibits, among other things, selling wildlife that had been illegally brought into the country.  The Endangered Species Act and federal regulations require importers to declare wildlife when it enters the country.  Between December 2015 and September 2020, Arrigona imported approximately 460 wildlife items without declaring them.  The wildlife, primarily from Indonesia, included bats, lizards, turtles, insects, starfish, and mollusks.  Arrigona did not import any live animals.  Some of the wildlife, such as the flying fox (Pteropus sp.) and monitor lizard (Varanus sp.) are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates trade in endangered or threatened species through permit requirements.  The United States and 182 other countries are signatories to the CITES treaty.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in Redmond, Washington, conducted the investigation as part of Operation Global Reach.  The operation focused on the trafficking of wildlife from Indonesia to the United States.  Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melina Shiraldi for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

International money laundering, drug trafficking and illegal wildlife trade operation dismantled

 Millions in gold, silver, jewels, cash, and illegally traded wildlife seized after multiple nationwide search warrants

SAVANNAH, GA:  An international conspiracy that profited from drug trafficking and the illegal wildlife trade and conspired to hide the illegal nature of the proceeds has been shut down in a multi-agency law enforcement operation.

Initiated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Operation Apex brought together multiple agencies under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Task Forces (OCDETF) to target two businesses, in Florida and California, and a dozen individual defendants whose activities included international trade in illegal wildlife products, trafficking in marijuana, and a money laundering conspiracy to disguise the massive proceeds of the unlawful activities that spanned at least a 10-year period, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Following the unsealing of an indictment in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested 12 defendants and conducted 22 federal search warrants from coast to coast, including the Southern District of Georgia, the Northern District of Georgia, the Northern District of Florida, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Central District of California, and the Northern District of California.

“Fearless and aggressive law enforcement brought an end to this sprawling, transnational conspiracy. In the end, the size of the conspiracy was overwhelmed by a coordinated law enforcement effort to infiltrate, document and dismantle it,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “United with our partner agencies, we have shut down an operation that fed a seemingly insatiable overseas appetite for illegally traded wildlife, and seized ill-gotten assets derived from that despicable criminal enterprise.”      

The indictment in Operation Apex charges 12 defendants and two businesses with Mail and Wire Fraud Conspiracy; Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; and Money Laundering Conspiracy. The charges carry potential penalties of up to life in federal prison, where there is no parole.

As alleged in the 37-page indictment, conspirators in multiple locations in the United States, including the Southern District of Georgia, and in Hong Kong, Mexico, Canada, and elsewhere, were involved in the Wu transnational criminal organization that engaged in wildlife trafficking, shark finning, drug trafficking and money laundering.

The indictment alleges that the conspiracy began as early as 2010 as members of the conspiracy submitted false documents and used sham businesses and dozens of bank accounts to hide proceeds from the illegal activities. The indictment states that members of the conspiracy would deposit bulk cash from illegal activities, including wildlife trafficking and drug trafficking, into third-party business accounts that dealt in gold, precious metals, and jewels, to hide the illegal activities. Conspirators also deposited millions of dollars from illegal activities into third-party business accounts located in the United States, Mexico, and Hong Kong, in an effort to hide the illegal profits.

Shark finning is the barbaric practice of catching sharks at sea, cutting off their fins and throwing the injured shark back into the ocean to die. Shark finning is aimed at supporting the demand for shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy. Certain species of sharks are protected wildlife under federal and state law to ensure their continued sustainability.

During the arrests of the defendants and searches of their homes and workplaces, agents seized more than $3.9 million in multiple bank accounts; approximately $3 million in gold, silver, and other precious metals, along with $1 million in diamonds; approximately 18,000 marijuana plants and 34.5 pounds of processed marijuana; multiple firearms; and documented the harvest of more than six tons of shark fins. Agents also seized 18 totoaba fish bladders, a delicacy in Asia harvested illegally from an endangered species. Defendants charged in the case are:

• Serendipity Solutions LLC, of San Bruno, Calif.;
• Phoenix Fisheries LLC, of Southport, Fla.;
• Terry Xing Zhao Wu, 45, of Burlingame, Calif.;
• Natalie Ye Man Chan Wu, 38, of Burlingame, Calif.;
• Woonjin Lam, 43, of San Francisco;
• Anthony Wu, 24, of San Francisco;
• Billy Chen, 61, of Walnut, Calif.;
• Ying Le Pang, 47, of San Lorenzo, Calif.;
• Mark Leon Harrison, 59, of Southport, Fla.;
• Heather Huong Ngoc Luu, 46, of Westminster, Calif.;
• Kevin Chinh Nguyen, 40, of Tucker, Ga.;
• Elias Samuel Castellanos, 54, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and,
• Terry Louis Shook, 56, of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

“The Trump Administration believes in law enforcement and tackling wildlife trafficking. By successfully dismantling this criminal operation, we are unveiling the true nature of criminal syndicates, in which species like sharks and totoaba are the silent victims,” said Aurelia Skipwith, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “I applaud and thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance with this case. Together, we will continue to protect imperiled species for future generations.

 “Removing dangerous drugs from the streets and hitting drug traffickers in their ‘pockets’ are both integral parts of dismantling sophisticated drug distribution networks, as was the case in this investigation,” said the Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “Their money is their lifeline and without it, their drug distribution activities cannot survive. This investigation was a success because of the investigative efforts by a collection of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” 

“Transnational criminal organizations continue to pose a significant threat to national and international security,” said Christopher Kennally, Savannah CBP Area Port Director.  “Our officers’ expertise, along with the utilization of available tools, and valuable partnerships resulted in the arrest of these criminals. Our communities can feel safer knowing that the men and women of CBP are securing their borders.”

“It’s a sad day when not even the sharks in the ocean are safe from the greed of criminal organizations,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI Atlanta is a proud to have been a part of this operation and to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to protect our communities and oceans.”

“The United States Postal Inspection Service stands ready and committed to assist its local, state and federal law enforcement partners in any type of investigation,” said USPIS-Miami Division Inspector in Charge Antonio Gomez. “This case highlights the great working relationships between all of the involved agencies, and serves as a reminder that criminal activity involving the mail will be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of a crime. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law. 

Operation Apex is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime.  The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms. 

Agencies conducting the investigation include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Investigations Unit, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations, in conjunction with state and local agencies including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr., Tania Groover, Xavier Cunningham, and Joshua Bearden, with assistance from Trial Attorney Joseph Palazzo and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Irish National Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking in Rhinoceros Horns

An Irish national was sentenced in federal court in Waco, Texas, today to 12 months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking, announced Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice.

John Slattery, who was arrested on Aug. 1, 2019, in Ireland, was extradited to the United States for his role in trafficking horns from black rhinoceros.  Slattery pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic in horns from black rhinoceros on July 7, 2020.

On May 13, 2014, a federal grand jury sitting in Waco, Texas, returned an indictment that has since been unsealed, charging Slattery and a co-defendant, Patrick Sheridan, with conspiring to traffic in horns from black rhinoceros.  In addition to conspiracy, the indictment charges substantive violations of the Lacey Act for wildlife trafficking and making a false wildlife document. 

According to documents filed with the court, in September 2010, Slattery traveled with his brother, Michael Slattery Jr. and Patrick Sheridan to a taxidermy shop in Austin, Texas, to purchase rhinoceros horns. Upon their first visit to the shop, John Slattery and his co-conspirators were informed that the horns could only be sold to a resident of Texas.  The following day, Slattery enlisted the help of an individual (now deceased), a Texas resident who acted as a straw buyer, to enable the three co-conspirators to purchase the rhinoceros horns.

As part of the plea, Slattery admitted that through the straw buyer, he and his co-conspirators paid the taxidermist $18,000 for the horns.  They were given an “Endangered Species Bill of Sale,” which the group later modified and falsified.  Slattery further admitted that after they purchased the horns in Texas, Slattery traveled to New York, where he sold the horns to an individual for $50,000.  Slattery gave the purchaser the falsified “Endangered Species Bill of Sale,” which Slattery and his co-conspirators had modified to make it look as if the sale in Texas was legal, when in fact, it was not.  Slattery further admitted that he later offered the same individual 10 rhinoceros horns for sale.  That sale was not completed.

In September 2013, Slattery Jr. was arrested in New York and charged in the Eastern District of New York with conspiring with Slattery and Sheridan to traffic rhinoceros horns.  In January 2014, Slattery Jr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.  In September 2015, Sheridan was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom.  Sheridan was returned to the Western District of Texas where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.  In addition to the conspiracy to traffic in rhinoceros horns, Slattery and Sheridan were charged with violating the Lacey Act’s trafficking provision and making a fictitious and fraudulent bill of sale in connection with the rhinoceros horns in an attempt to make their illegal purchase of the horns appear legal.

The transport of Slattery to the Western District of Texas to face these charges concluded the extradition process from Ireland, a process governed by an extradition treaty between the United States and Ireland.  Slattery was sentenced in federal court in Waco, by U.S. District Judge Alan Albright.

The case was investigated by agents from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff for the Western District of Texas.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in securing and coordinating Slattery’s arrest and extradition. Assistance for Slattery’s extradition was provided by the Government of Ireland.

Hot Springs Man Sentenced for a Violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Hot Springs, South Dakota, man convicted of a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was sentenced on July 10, 2020, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann.

Larry Belitz, age 77, was sentenced to 1 year of probation, and was ordered to pay $19,900 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service, a fine of $10,000, and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The conviction stems from Belitz, who without being permitted to do so, knowingly possessed and sold parts of bald and golden eagles on Native American items he sold between February 2013 and February 2015.  

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.

Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Wildlife

A Texas man pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Western District of Texas on charges of conspiring to traffic thousands of live reptiles, amphibians, and birds, valued in excess of $3.5 million.

Alejandro Carrillo of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones for the Western District of Texas.  Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 16.  

“Carrillo’s arrest and his removal from the trafficking network demonstrates that the Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce laws designed to protect wildlife,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “This is a continuing investigation and reflects the seriousness with which we regard these activities and our commitment to hold accountable those who break the law.”

“This investigation has exposed a highly coordinated wildlife trafficking ring responsible for the smuggling of wild caught reptiles destined to collectors and the commercial trade across the U.S. and globe,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director for Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).  “The number of animals suspected of being smuggled is in the tens of thousands.  Reptiles, amphibians and other protected wildlife already face enough environmental stressors worldwide. This case goes a long way to slow the impacts of wildlife trafficking on species that are under protection of the Endangered Species Act and CITES.”

According to documents filed with the court, beginning in 2016, the FWS undertook Operation Bale Out, an investigation of a network of individuals involved in the trafficking of wildlife between the United States and Mexico. “Bale” means a group of turtles, and much of the wildlife trafficked by this network involved rare turtles.

According to information in the public record, Carrillo functioned as a middle-man for the network, transporting live animals – many of which were protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – from Mexico into the United States. Carrillo pleaded guilty to two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiring to traffic wildlife into the United States, and smuggling wildlife into the United States. As part of the plea, Carrillo admitted to being paid more than $92,000 to transport thousands of animals from Mexico into the United States, valued at more than $3,500,000. After transporting the animals into the United States, Carrillo then arranged for them to be delivered to domestic customers, who had purchased the animals from the Mexico-based suppliers.

This case is part of an ongoing effort by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with the Department of Justice, to prosecute those involved in the illegal taking and trafficking in protected species. This prosecution is being handled by the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. The government is represented by Environmental Crimes Trial Attorneys Mary Dee Carraway and Gary N. Donner.

Montana Resident Found Guilty of Smuggling Bald Eagle Feathers into Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, United States District Court Judge James A. Soto found Dennis Raymond McPherron, 74, of Hamilton, Montana, guilty of illegally smuggling bald eagle feathers (and other feathers from protected species) into the United States, in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The case was tried before District Court Judge Soto in January. McPherron faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for October 9.                               

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation in cooperation with United States Customs and Border Protection. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, prosecuted the case.

CASE NUMBER:            CR17-00242-JAS-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2020-061_McPherron

Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Wildlife Smuggling

BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with unlawfully importing and exporting salamander and turtle species.    

Nathan Boss, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of smuggling wildlife into the United States, two counts of smuggling wildlife out of the United States, and making a false statement to a federal agent. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 24, 2020. Boss was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2019 and indicted in November 2019.

The investigation began in 2017 when Boss lied to federal investigators about the identity of a recipient of wildlife illegally imported into the United States. Subsequently, federal investigators intercepted an inbound U.S. Postal Service package from Hong Kong that was addressed to “Shelton Boss” at an address on Mildred Avenue in Worcester. The package was found to contain four black-breasted leaf turtles (Geoemyda spengleri), a species included in the Convention for Trade in Endangered Species and Wild Fauna, an international agreement joined by the U.S. that governs the importation of designated wildlife. Specifically, any black-breasted leaf turtle imported into the United States must be declared and approved by Fish and Wildlife Service before any shipment can be received.  

Boss was also found to have illegally imported an injurious species of salamander which can carry a fungal disease and is prohibited from importation into the United States. Further investigation revealed that, on multiple occasions, Boss illegally exported undeclared wildlife destined for locations in Hong Kong and Sweden.   

The charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Ryan Noel, Special Agent in Charge, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Massachusetts Environmental Police and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. 

Eagle Butte Man Sentenced on Wildlife Charge

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Violating the Lacey Act was sentenced on June 4, 2020, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.

Dugan Traversie, age 39, was sentenced to 1 year probation, loss of his hunting privileges for one year, ordered to pay $9,000 restitution to Timberlake Elk Ranch, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.

Traversie was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 12, 2020.  He pled guilty on June 4, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred sometime between October 28, 2019, and November 4, 2019, when Traversie harvested a white-tailed deer outside of the tribal hunting season, in violation of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe hunting laws and regulations.  After Traversie shot the deer, he left and returned the next day to remove the head and left the carcass behind.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Game, Fish and Parks Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

Ex-BLM employee admits using government credit card to defraud agency, buy pottery

MISSOULA – A former Bureau of Land Management employee today admitted he used government credit cards to steal from the agency, including buying pottery for his personal use, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Adrian Anthony Aragon, 49, of Butte, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Aragon faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. The Court detained Aragon and set sentencing for Aug. 14.

The prosecution said in court records filed in the case that Aragon worked as an administrative assistant for the BLM and had been issued government travel and purchase cards to be used only for official business. An investigation found that in 10 months, Aragon attempted to obtain about $20,901 by improperly using his government cards. On July 28, 2019, Aragon used his card to spend $2,500 to buy pottery for his personal use. To cover the fraudulent purchase, Aragon doctored the account statement to omit the transaction and then submitted the statement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Land Management, Office of Law Enforcement and Security.

Man sentenced for illegal gun possession in Baker deer poaching investigation

BILLINGS—A Louisiana man who admitted illegally having a firearm after confessing to shooting a mule deer buck in the Baker area was sentenced today to 15 months in prison and to three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Matthew Stephen Hays, 32, of Rayville, LA, pleaded guilty in November to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

The prosecution said in court documents that Hays was convicted of felony theft of a firearm in Louisiana in 2014. In January 2019, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens were investigating reports of deer poaching in eastern Montana. While on Sheep Mountain Road, the wardens saw a small pickup truck, heard four shots and saw the truck drive away. The wardens drove to where the truck had stopped and found a mule deer buck thrashing in sage brush about 150 yards from the road. The wardens hiked to the animal and found it dead from several gunshot wounds.

Four days later, one of the wardens saw in a Baker parking lot a truck matching the description of the truck that had been seen on Sheep Mountain Road. There were deer antlers in the back of the pickup and a rifle and several boxes of ammunition in the back seat of the cab. Hays emerged from a nearby store and walked to the truck. He confessed to the warden that he shot mule deer buck with his .22-caliber rifle. During a search of the truck, the warden recovered a .22-caliber rifle and a second firearm. Hay also told the warden he had a prior felony conviction.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.