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Guilty Plea in International Turtle Smuggling Case

December 28, 2018
By Rebekah Pettit




shutterstock/tiffanyquinn

The Illegal Reptile Market

The illegal wildlife trade is one of the greatest pressures on endangered turtles and tortoises. This group is facing the most declines out of any of the endangered reptiles, and these crimes hurt their populations. These animals are sought after in the black market as "pets" and bushmeat delicacies. In the wild, over 50% of the turtle and tortoise species alive today are listed as vulnerable, threatened, or endangered.
Illegal Turtle Smuggling Conspiracy

It was released on December 20, 2018 that a 26 year old man in New Jersey pled guilty to a Wildlife Conspiracy case dating back to 2016, a case connected to other individuals, states, and countries. This verdict successes the guilty verdicts of several other individuals related to this case, and awaits final sentencing. The smuggling conspiracy group was illegally importing endangered turtles from China, while illegally shipping endangered turtles out of the United States. It is not yet specified which turtle species these were, but they were distributed between the US and Hong Kong back and forth according to news reports. Endangered turtles frequently smuggled out of the US include the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina),
shutterstock/Dimitriospippis
The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina,
is one of the most frequently attempted smuggled turtle species from the US

Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), and the Florida Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri). This investigation was being led by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
The smuggling took place over a period of about 6 months in 2016 and involved multiple individuals who worked together to coordinate the scheme. The latest individual to plead guilty relating to this case, William Thomas Gangemi, says he collected the turtles for the leader of the turtle smuggling group who shipped them out of the US. They were intercepted at JFK International Airport in New York. The reptiles were shipped through the United States Postal Service, being hidden in things like candy wrappers, socks, and shipped in boxes labeled as "snacks." Shipping reptiles when done properly, poses little to no harm to the animals, but when done neglectfully, it likely stresses them out. Shipping endangered reptiles over state and international lines usually requires permits because of the Endangered Species Act, and it is very important to follow the legal rules when purchasing any endangered species.
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Florida Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri, is native to the Eastern United States.

According to records, text messages and Facebook messages were used to carry out this reptile crime. The guilty verdict of this one case has a maximum penalty of 5 years in US federal prison. Smuggling endangered reptiles poses a great health risks, while also affecting the laws that are implemented into the state and federal government(s) regarding endangered animal groups. While wildlife criminals exist, conservationists are working hard to combat declines with dedicated efforts. When people commit wildlife crimes like this, get convicted, and spend time incarcerated, this affects the private sector as a whole. It makes it harder for professional conservationists (many of which are private organizations) to be legally permitted and able to function. This can hurt the professional conservationists who want to legally trade, breed, or sell animals for conservation. Simply put, the rules get stricter and less are being approved!
shutterstock/brianekushner
The Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin, is native to the brackish estuary habitats of
the Eastern and Southern US, and Bermuda.

This case is ongoing and no new updates have been released on the health of the turtles or where they are now. The guilty plea of this case was accepted by the state judge and now awaits final conviction.