Clay Davenport
Cerebral Nomad
A former University of Central Florida student and reptile enthusiast was sentenced to two years in federal prison Wednesday for his role in an international ring that smuggled exotic animals between the United States and Asia.
Michael Barrera, 21, received, shipped and sold species without permits and failed to declare the contents of boxes with turtles, tortoises, lizards and snakes. The animals had a market value of between $200,000 and $400,000.
Barrera admitted shipping snakes, vipers, geckos and other reptiles to Lawrence Wee Soon Chye, a dealer in Singapore who was later arrested, convicted and sentenced for smuggling the species into the United States. Chye, a citizen of Singapore, is serving a 30-month prison sentence, while a Thailand reptile dealer, Leon Tiam Kum, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role.
Kum and Chye were arrested after landing at Orlando International Airport in 2003. Barrera, a Miami resident who cooperated in the investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, was charged last year.
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Michael Barrera, 21, received, shipped and sold species without permits and failed to declare the contents of boxes with turtles, tortoises, lizards and snakes. The animals had a market value of between $200,000 and $400,000.
Barrera admitted shipping snakes, vipers, geckos and other reptiles to Lawrence Wee Soon Chye, a dealer in Singapore who was later arrested, convicted and sentenced for smuggling the species into the United States. Chye, a citizen of Singapore, is serving a 30-month prison sentence, while a Thailand reptile dealer, Leon Tiam Kum, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role.
Kum and Chye were arrested after landing at Orlando International Airport in 2003. Barrera, a Miami resident who cooperated in the investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, was charged last year.
Link (middle of page)