Michigan: Operation Slither Strikes at Illegal Reptile Dealers

I haven't found any further information on this and don't know just how slanted the article is or whether these are more of the sneaky busts with little grounds we have been seeing in the recent past.
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LANSING, Mich., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The last of misdemeanor charges are expected to be filed today against fourteen men for violating Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, announced Attorney General Mike Cox.
In April, the Attorney General's office began working with officers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) in a covert multi-state effort against those involved in the illegal trade of reptiles and amphibians.


Operation Slither, as it was known in Michigan, focused on reptile dealers --
also called herpeteculturists -- suspected of dealing animals illegally
captured from the wilds of Michigan, and exotic species that are otherwise
illegal for possession and sale. Collectors value reptiles based on specimen
quality and rarity. Michigan is home to more than a dozen protected reptile
species.

"Those who profit from putting Michigan's rare and protected species at risk will pay the price," Cox said.

Officers had long suspected that certain Michigan reptile dealers were trafficking in wild-caught, protected Michigan species, but the dealer network was known to be a tightly knit community. After more than a decade of unsuccessful undercover attempts, an MDNR undercover officer infiltrated the dealer network in June 2001.

The MDNR cooperated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers, as federal undercover investigators were investigating similar activities in other states. The sharing of resources and evidence resulted in several cases within the State.

The maximum penalty for each count is 90 days and/or $500.00, or both. Because each turtle or snake illegally traded is an individual count, it is anticipated that fines and penalties will total thousands of dollars.

The following individuals have been charged:

H. Bernard Walter Ashley, 31, of Lansing, with 5 counts occurring in Lansing.

Michael DeCamp, 33, of Berkley, with 10 counts occurring in Berkley and 44 counts occurring in Taylor.

Guy Dunn, 32, of Belleville, with 14 counts occurring in Livonia and 3 counts in Taylor.

Roger Florian, 60, of Newport, with 35 counts occurring in Newport.

James Heffernan, 38, of Inkster, with 21 counts occurring in Taylor.

Frank Kitter, 44, of Sterling Heights, with 7 counts occurring in Livonia.

Thomas Nelson, 53, of Detroit, with 23 counts in Livonia and 51 counts occurring in Warren.

Jefferson Race, 31, of Olivet, with 2 counts occurring in Lansing, 5 counts occurring in Novi, and 2 counts occurring in Taylor.

Gordon Renaud, 53, of Southgate, with 8 counts occurring in Southgate and 7 counts occurring in Taylor.

Joel Roggelin, 46, of Morrison, OH, with 58 counts occurring in Taylor.

William Sands, 40, of Unadilla Township, with 35 counts occurring in Taylor and 4 counts occurring in Unadilla Township.

James Weiss, 22, of Ypsilanti, with 14 counts occurring in Livonia and 2 counts occurring in Novi.

Ralph Weiss, 54, of Ypsilanti Township, with 65 counts occurring in Ypsilanti Township.
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http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040122/deth015_1.html

They are just now getting around to charges...kinda makes you wonder about 'due process' Tom,Bill, Ralph and James I know quite well and I'll say these guys are the least threatening to the reptile trade that I can imagine.
The officers that delt with these guys probably can not even spell entrapment.
Where are the animals now??? I'll tell ya probably destroyed or frozen for evidence. Real preservation of the species here.
some animals from a high end collection were given to a humane society and adopted out
This was and is a mess.
On a different note the animal bill in Ann Arbor was dropped and I would like to say thanx to all the shop owners and hobbiests that were there speaking and sowing their knowledge with me to the mayor and his people at the caucases...Maybe we set a presidence here,....Speak up people our voices are heard.

You said they're just now getting around to charges...
Is this connected to the Ohio bust from last summer?
The wildlife guys need to work on their op names, a recent sting in the west was termed Slither as well. They sould like SpecOp wannabes.

Yes Clay
They are just now getting around to charging people and fining or whatever.
It really pisses me off that it took so long, One of the things they are trying to do is make all the people 'busted' pay for operation slither [the same one from Ohio last summer] by slpitting up the cost amongst them.
This whole thing was a joke ,and not a very funny one.

Just keep all your receipt for everything you buy, I know I did for my Black Rat Snakes [ a protected Mi. species] and do not keep them in your home. Because if your raided they will take your receipts and call them FAKE like they did James and his Father.

Clay, if you need to ask how accurate the article is just go into what they said.

1)Reptile dealer=herpetoculturist. That's funny, I believed that from the root, culture, means to create, breed, propogate and therefore refers to a reptile breeder not a dealer.

2) They had been trying to get somebody undercover for 10 years. Just a lie. This is less than a 3 year old project.

3) Tight community, that's why people in the herp industry do nothing but infight and why we have no national organization to help with situations just like this one.

4) Yes, this is the same opporation from last year that they are trying to milk for publicity to help justify their budget and payroll as they fear being cut down to nothing under a republican federal administration that is cutting the money to the states and a state government that is in crisis trying to pay for increased security at the multiplr Canadian border crossings we have and the public schools that are going down the toilet, just to name a couple.

The fail to mention that the vast majority of people in this business that were watched and that they attempted to set up, did nothing illegal and have not been charged with anything after 2 1/2-3 years of being watched, taped and photographed.

Evan Stahl

2) They had been trying to get somebody undercover for 10 years. Just a lie. This is less than a 3 year old project.

Surely you aren't suggesting the wildlife nazis would actually stoop to fabrication and distortion of the facts in order to make a case are you?
If Joe McCarthy were still around, he'd be leading the reptile task force for the DNR.
Besides, saying it took them 10 years to finally make the bust is like bragging about incompetence. We're not a drug cartel, and we're not hard to find.

I wonder what has been the fate of all the reptiles that were to be "held as evidence". It would surprise me if the DNR guys could keep a cornsnake alive for 7 months, let alone some of the other snakes they took.

problem 1)why display contempt for law enforcement officers?
does anyone else believe that their might be herpers who are also leo's?and if that same leo/herper reads contempt displayed towards their fellow officer who do you think the leo will side with?a fellow officer or a (potential)law breaker?this contempt just fosters dissent.facts,either good or bad,are helpful.opinions belong on the editorial page.
problem 2)a lack of organization.i've never heard of an organized/political herp oriented group in michigan-or any other state for that matter.i'm talking about people who regularly contact their local & state legislaters.not a half dozen herpers who gather around & drink beer @ someones house to check out their new whatever.if you want to change the law then you need to CHANGE THE LAW.not blame the (possibly,sometimes)mis-guided people who enforce it.
probelm 3)why break the law in the first place?i don't remember how many herp species their are,but i know that there are more than any of us,on this forum,will ever see.there are a couple of michigan species that i would like to keep myself.but i am not willing to risk losing what i do have just to keep a couple of critters that i would like.remember under mi law you cannot posess protected/endangered species w/o a permit.you can show all the proof for purchase out of state you want.doesn't matter.its against the law to posses-period.and according to my,addmittedly,small attempt to aquire one its almost impossible to get one.a permit,that is.
as to the character of the accused?never met em.really i don't think it matters.if their is irrefutable proof that mother teresa was breaking the law then she should have been punished.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE LAW THEN WORK TO CHANGE IT!
VOTE!-TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE LAW & TELL THEM WHY IT SHOULD BE CHANGED!
jeff ward in michigan

Well gee, where to begin with the new guy? You are obviously on the wrong site man. This is a "forum" to "discuss" and put out "opinions" on what is happening. And yet you would come on here and attack people for having an opinion? Where did I show disdain for law enforcement? I believe all the statements that I made in this thread have been in reference to an article written by a "journalist" and my comments were directed toward the "truth" they were laying out.

If you were attacking Clay for his comments than maybe you should address them to him directly as you chose to attack the three of us posting here by not doing so. But in the other direction, who are you to criticize somebody for showing disdain for law enforcement if that is what they choose to do? This country was built and exists on disagreement with and criticism of government. Get off the high horse. You are obviously a gun nut by your site address and yet you take no issue with law enforcement and government right? I bet if this was an argument over the governemnt taking your guns away you would be as anti government as it gets. The strongest voices for gun control are law enforcement officers.

On the true subject though, in the aftermath of 9-11, when the country was so focused on terrorism and security, this is what these law enforcement officers did with millions of dollars (2.1) of taxpayers money and thousands of man hours of law enforcement jobs. They cited a couple dozens citizens with misdemeanors that are pay a fine and walk offenses ($500 maximum). Do you really think for one minute that this is the right way to conduct this "operation"?

Also, how great would it have been for the authorities to come to the reptile dealers, breeders and shows and tell them about changes made to existing laws and new laws passed behind closed doors that affectively changed the rules of the game instead of doing nothing to get out the word so that the results of this "operation" would be more substantial and get them the moneis that they desperately need to keep their jobs from a state and federal government that is downsizing them for national security spending.

Have you thought about joining the John Ashcroft fan club? I'm sure they have some great pro government anti everyone else forums on that site.

I forgot, your permit info is also incorrect as I know this for a fact from the results of this investigation that I was involved in as my paperwork=proof of purchase, from sellers out of state for the animals that I have is more than enough to ensure my legal possesion. I do not know where you get your info but you are seriously misinformed. With the exception of large exotic cats, higher primates, wolves and wolf hybrids, you do not need a permit for animals that are legally purchased. And even all those animals mentioned above only became required as such about 3 or 4 years ago. Prior to that there were almost no state restrictions. Spotted turtles, blandings turtles, eastern box turtles, wood turtles, black rats, etc., etc., can all be kept as long as they were legally purchased.

last things first.my information comes from a letter i recv'd from th MiDNR after attempting to find information on how to legally keep Blandings turtles.their response was an unequivocal no.