DNR Wraps Up Largest Case of Illegal Traffic in Reptiles

Is there any real legal precedent on that "ignorance is no excuse" claim? Quite frankly, with the number of laws at all levels the average person is liable for, it is pretty much impossible for anyone to even know about them all. How do you even know that something you want to do is illegal? Contact an attorney before you do ANYTHING?

Maybe at one time that concept could hold water, but I don't believe it can any longer. Heck, even the IRS will tell you that their own staff cannot be relied on to give accurate information if you call them with questions about tax law. The defense "I was told to do it that way by an IRS representative" is not considered an adequate defense if you are later found in violation of the law.

So again, just HOW is the average person supposed to be realistically in compliance with every single law about every single issue in this country?
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WebSlave
Leader and Grand Poobah of the FC Cult

My wife is from eastern Europe, and grew up under communism. She made a similar comment when she got a ticket for driving between 4pm and 6pm on a side street during rush hour.

I told her that you must assume that in the USA, everything you do, every single action, may be technically illegal.

What really pisses me off about this is this:

Nowadays, in the USA, if someone does not like something you do in your personal life they want to pass a law against it and make it illegal. There is no more tolerance by anybody for anything you may enjoy doing as a hobby, or whatever. This is the exactly what the founding fathers of the USA were trying to prevent from happening! Remember "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness??????"

I personally know one of the victims of this "operation". They entered his home on an illegal search warrant, and found an albino Blanding's turtle, which he had legally purchased from a breeder in another state. That was his "crime".

He wanted a jury trial, but the "officials", just kept jerking him around, because they knew if it went to a jury, they really had no case. After spending weeks of bull**** and 10,000 dollars on his lawyer, he decided it would just be easier to plead No Contest.

Oh, he also had a small number of leucistic Texas ratsnakes. They claimed they were albino black rats. Also, I don't know how that smiley face got on the post. I can assure you I wasn't smiling when I wrote it!

Just an update here
Sands is living in Arizona [gotta wonder who he turned on] and one person who is an agent of 'slither' has resurfaced in his same undercover wheelbound disguise.[pointed out by one of the people busted]
It ain't over yet folks