Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is a bummer to read about. Some people may know him.
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"He purportedly told the agent he sold three of these snakes to one man for $25,000, three or four of them to another man for $30,000"

Does anyone here have the names and addresses of these lucky buyers? I've got this bridge going cheap....

Cheers,

Wolfgang
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WW

WW Home

They were leucistic.

He trapped an animal that had five leucisitc offspring? I want him picking my lottery numbers.

Do a search for him in the hognose forum. You will see how the leucistic came about.

... that would mean that I would want a rebate, since they are genetically compromised mutants. Just goes to show that there is no accounting for taste.

Cheers,

Wolfgang
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WW

WW Home

Wouldn't it also mean that they are perfectly legal since they are no longer 'western hognosed'?

Cheers
BGF

That depends on the state I believe....

In any case, do you really believe a lawmaker is smart enough to figure that one out?

Van

Actually, this has precedent in the cuban iguanas. Hybrids do not require the interstate transport paperwork that true species do. As a biological entity, they are an utterly different animal. I think he has a nice legal defense strategy there. He's probably screwed on the other stuff though.

Cheers
BGF

Isn't Brook that NVENOM8 person? I don't see what's sad about it, if he broke the law, he broke the law. To me, illegally trapping protected snakes is breaking the law, apparently F&G feels the same way.

Not to mention possesion of a firearm by a felon.
The feds seem to really frown on that.
Ryan

Some people deserve what they get.

Local Authorities Seize Over $50K In Reptiles

Officials Seek Warrants Against 13 People

POSTED: 12:08 p.m. EDT June 29, 2003
UPDATED: 12:28 p.m. EDT June 29, 2003

State and federal wildlife officials seized at least 200 rare and threatened reptiles in raids in three states aimed at breaking up one of the nation's largest networks of illegal reptile sales.

The raids, which took place just before 9 a.m. Saturday, were conducted in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. They stemmed from a two-year-long investigation by the departments of natural resources in the three states and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, officials said.

"It's the first time we've actually been able to catch them and hopefully it will send a strong message to curtail that activity," said Brad Wurfel, press secretary for the Michigan DNR.

Search warrants were issued for eight homes in Inkster, Southgate, Berkley, Lansing, Sterling Heights, Ypsilanti and an unnamed southwestern Livingston County community, Wurfel said.

Although the ring was under observation for more than a decade, the break in the case came after investigators began infiltrating the group two years ago by posing as dealers, trappers and customers, federal officials said.

While working undercover, investigators conducted business with approximately 50 dealers and collectors who were unlawfully selling rare and exotic animals in the three states, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

The animals included gila monsters, spotted turtles, Blanding's turtles, fox snakes, black rat snakes, Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes, timber rattlesnakes, Eastern box turtles, spotted salamanders, Indian pythons and indigo snakes, the service said.

The number of animals seized in Michigan alone topped 170. The reptiles included more than 150 protected turtles and 20 protected snakes, according to an undercover detective with the Michigan DNR who asked that his name not be published.

About 100 turtle eggs, which authorities believe were being bred for sale as pets, were also confiscated, the detective said.

The market value of the Michigan animals is estimated at over $55,000. Some of the animals seized were spotted turtles, which are a protected species in Michigan and can sell for as much as $250 each, the detective said.

In addition to recovering the reptiles, officials also seized a large quantity of marijuana and a small amount of what appears to be cocaine in the Michigan raids, the detective said.

The exact number of animals seized in the Ohio and Indiana busts was not immediately known. But an official with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said she expects the total for the three states to exceed 200 animals.

At least 50 people in the three states have been contacted and are expected to be charged, officials said. Michigan officials are seeking warrants for 13 people cited in Saturday's raids, although more are likely to be charged as the investigation progresses, the detective said.

According to undercover investigators, most of the crimes took place at monthly animal swap meets, where a variety of animals are sold.

It's difficult for state authorities to prosecute illegal sales at these meets because in order to do so they must prove that the animals were illegally obtained in Michigan, Wurfel said.

Many of the animals in question can be legally sold at the meets if they are brought in from other states that don't outlaw their capture, he said.

That's where the undercover investigators come in. Their testimony will help authorities show the sales were illegal, Wurfel said.

One dealer paid $25,000 for several illegally collected snakes. One transaction involved the unlawful sale in Indiana of a King Cobra, a 7-foot black mamba snake and a venomous black coral snake, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Michigan charges are expected to range from misdemeanor counts of illegally selling protected wildlife, to felony counts of possession with intent to deliver narcotics and animal cruelty, the detective said.

The state's case is expected to be prosecuted by the Michigan Attorney General's Office because of the multiple jurisdictions involved, the detective said.

The results of the federal investigation will be forwarded to the appropriate U.S. Attorney's Office for possible federal charges, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

Allen Salzberg
Publisher/Editor
HerpDigest: The Free Weekly Electronic

That's freakin incredible. It really sends a strong message to the herp community to do what you do legally. It is just a bummer that the people made the bad decision to do it illegitamitely.

That's freakin incredible. It really sends a strong message to the herp community to do what you do legally. It is just a bummer that the people made the bad decision to do it illegitamitely.

One of the guys was a felon with assault weapons. He's not a "fellow" anything of mine -- just a dangerous nut, it sounds like. Glad they got him.

Just wanted to say thanks to the people that have supported him rather than trash him in here.
As for you mrci - why would you ever say that you are glad they got him????
You don't know jack about him you pos!
So don't go off calling him a nut.
I can tell you one thing, he IS one of the best people around that can take care of those animals the right way.
And as for saying he is not a fellow of yours, Well who gives a [bleep].
He has forgotten about more reptiles than you could ever dream of.
Do your homework before you open your mouth about someone.