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Old 04-03-2022, 12:37 PM   #1
Big Time Reptiles
Border officers find 59 live snakes and lizards in accused smuggler’s pockets

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...king-san-diego
 
Old 04-03-2022, 07:01 PM   #2
Socratic Monologue
Copy from the link, so it comes up on searches.


Border officers find 59 live snakes and lizards in accused smuggler’s pockets
A Facebook ad shows rare lizards for sale by Julio Rodriguez, who federal investigators say is Jose Manuel Perez.
A Facebook ad shows rare lizards for sale by Julio Rodriguez, who federal investigators say is Jose Manuel Perez.
(Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services search warrant affidavit)
It’s the latest evidence of a thriving black market for wildlife at the San Diego border, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection has seized snakes, tiger cubs and parrots as well
By Kristina Davis
March 3, 2022 4:39 PM PT

A man was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry last week after border officers found 59 live snakes and lizards hidden in his clothing.

While Jose Manuel Perez allegedly explained away the reptiles as his “pet lizards,” investigators say they are the latest commodities in a long-running wildlife trafficking ring that specialized in capturing rare Latin American reptiles in the wild and then smuggling them to U.S. buyers, according to a cellphone search warrant affidavit filed Wednesday in San Diego federal court.

The live specimens, contained in bags, included three dwarf boas, a Uribe’s false cat-eyed snake, a Pacific Coast parrot snake and four conehead lizards, according to herpetologists who identified them at the San Diego Zoo.

Perez, 30, an Oxnard resident, had already been under investigation for several months, and the day before his Friday arrest had been indicted along with his sister by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles.

The indictment alleges a wildlife trafficking conspiracy that smuggled reptiles through the U.S.-Mexico border — particularly the corridor linking Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas — without legal permits.

Animals, many of which are listed as protected species, were then frequently shipped from El Paso to Perez and other customers in the United States, the indictment says. Perez is also accused of importing about 30 turtles from Hong Kong, as well as exporting other animals to buyers to other countries, according to the indictment.

In all, the ring is accused of importing roughly 1,700 animals — including turtles, monitor lizards and baby crocodiles — at a market value of more than $739,000, the indictment states.

The case underscores the role that the U.S.-Mexico border plays in the thriving black market for wildlife. In San Diego alone, officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection have seized snakes, tiger cubs, parrots and fighting cocks, as well as animal products such as the bladders of totoaba — an endangered fish in the Gulf of California — sea turtle eggs, ivory and whale bones.

Perez allegedly used others to smuggle some of the animals, the indictment states.

After one trip in 2016, at an unidentified spot along the border, a co-conspirator messaged Perez about a “close call” being searched by CBP. “Thank God they found nothing,” the alleged smuggler wrote. “That is why I always tell you turtles are risky. They are bulky. I got nervous today, but I kept my cool.”

Investigators with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services say Perez sold the reptiles on Facebook under the name “Julio Rodriguez” — a pseudonym that also appears on a Missouri driver’s license. He joined several Facebook groups that catered to the ownership and care of reptiles, where he would frequently post ads of specific animals for sale, the affidavit states.
A Facebook ad shows lizards for sale by Julio Rodriguez, who investigators say is Jose Manuel Perez.
A Facebook ad shows lizards for sale by Julio Rodriguez, who investigators say is Jose Manuel Perez.
(Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services search warrant affidavit)

Some would go for thousands of dollars, including a helmeted iguana endemic to Mexico and Central America that was posted for $2,500.

To make the trade appear legitimate, Perez would use a specialty company to make labels to ship the live animals to buyers through FedEx, investigators said. The company, Reptiles Express, was used for 475 packages from October 2018 to March 2021, according to the affidavit.

Records show Perez has crossed at San Ysidro 36 times in the past year, with many of those trips corresponding to social media posts indicating new wildlife for sale, the affidavit says.

Investigators said Perez continued to run his wildlife trafficking business even while he was behind bars during various periods from 2016 and 2019 on Ventura County charges of robbery, unlawful possession of ammunition and participation in a street gang, as well as a DUI.

Earlier this month, Perez and two others tried to drive into Tijuana from San Diego but were prohibited entry by Mexican officials upon learning the group was also bringing 15 turtles, 12 snakes and eight chameleons south of the border, the affidavit states. They were forced to turn around and were questioned by U.S. officials at San Ysidro.

Perez claimed the animals were his; they were returned to him and he was allowed back into the U.S.
 
Old 04-06-2022, 11:30 PM   #3
Big Time Reptiles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Time Reptiles View Post
Photos~The way they where packed & smuggled is enough to piss off even those that don't have a passion for reptiles.


(CN) — A Southern California man was accused of smuggling more than 1,700 reptiles into the United States from Mexico. Jose Manuel Perez, 30, was charged on Thursday with nine counts of smuggling goods into the U.S. and two counts of wildlife trafficking.
According to the charging document, Perez was crossing the border last month when a border patrol officer asked him if he had anything to declare for customs. Perez said he did not. After being referred for a secondary inspection, Perez admitted that yes, he had some animals but they were his pets. At the time, Perez had about 60 reptiles concealed inside his clothes, including 38 lizards and four Isthmian dwarf boas. He was arrested soon after.
Perez’s sister, 25-year-old Stephany Perez, is also charged in the indictment with conspiracy. Both have been living in Oxnard, California.
For the last six years, the Pererz siblings, along with three other co-conspirators, have allegedly smuggled in an array of reptiles and amphibians from Mexico and Hong Kong into the U.S., including Yucatan box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles and Mexican beaded lizards.
Social media played a key role in the enterprise. Jose Perez used social media to both buy and sell the animals. He advertised his creatures with photos and videos and used mobile platforms to haggle with customers, accept payments and even at times defend himself from accusations of unethical behavior. Perez was surprisingly open about both his criminal operation and his belief that there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.
In February 2021, according to the charging document, “after a potential buyer accused [Perez] of offering wild-caught reptiles from Mexico for sale, [Perez] responded that the animals were being saved from deforestation in Mexico so the animals were doomed anyway and should be enjoyed by [Perez’s] customers.”
On an online forum devoted to Abronia lizards, Perez defended himself against those who had criticized reptile smuggling, writing that such naysayers “have no business keeping Abronia when you have something [negative] to say about smuggled animals. Doesn’t matter if yours were born in captivity. The parents more than likely were smuggled isn’t that pretty much the same. If it wasn’t for the guys that smuggled bearded dragons we wouldn’t have all these morphs and endless supply of bearded dragons.”
Last month, Perez posted photos of reptiles for sale on social media, according to the charging papers, and wrote that he was selling “rare and uncommon and overlooked animals with a big focus on Mexican animals.” He added: “As long as you are not openly knowingly buying smuggled animals there is not a single thing that [law enforcement] can do about it. There’s no need for clear paperwork forms for any reptile in the hobby. Sure it helps some people feel better about buying but all we are doing is making unnecessary problems for our already unreasonable regulated hobby.”
According to the charging document, the 1,700 reptiles and amphibians Perez is accused of smuggling have “a total market value exceeding $739,000.”
Perez has been in jail since his arrest on Feb. 25. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each smuggling count and five years in prison for each wildlife trafficking count. He’s also charged with one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.
 
Old 04-07-2022, 08:35 AM   #4
Socratic Monologue
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Time Reptiles View Post
In February 2021, according to the charging document, “after a potential buyer accused [Perez] of offering wild-caught reptiles from Mexico for sale, [Perez] responded that the animals were being saved from deforestation in Mexico so the animals were doomed anyway and should be enjoyed by [Perez’s] customers.”
On an online forum devoted to Abronia lizards, Perez defended himself against those who had criticized reptile smuggling, writing that such naysayers “have no business keeping Abronia when you have something [negative] to say about smuggled animals. Doesn’t matter if yours were born in captivity. The parents more than likely were smuggled isn’t that pretty much the same. If it wasn’t for the guys that smuggled bearded dragons we wouldn’t have all these morphs and endless supply of bearded dragons.”
These sorts of claims seem cut and pasted by many sellers/keepers who come off as legitimate, or at least try to portray themselves as such. Some version of 'everything was originally smuggled anyway', 'saving them from deforestation'. Pathetic and self-serving defenses of theft.

I hope he gets the 190 years he earned.
 
Old 04-07-2022, 08:39 AM   #5
Socratic Monologue
Is this the original source for the article with the photos, Lynn?

https://www.courthousenews.com/man-c...s-from-mexico/

Just in case someone wants to link to it elsewhere.

Thanks for posting these.
 
Old 04-07-2022, 10:19 AM   #6
Big Time Reptiles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Socratic Monologue View Post
Is this the original source for the article with the photos, Lynn?

Thanks for posting these.

I do believe, but don't know for a 100%

 
Old 04-07-2022, 12:37 PM   #7
Big Time Reptiles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Socratic Monologue View Post
Investigators said Perez continued to run his wildlife trafficking business even while he was behind bars during various periods from 2016 and 2019 on Ventura County charges of robbery, unlawful possession of ammunition and participation in a street gang, as well as a DUI.
What a guy! And to think, just how many of you all reading this purchased ill gotten reptiles from this piece of work. Don't be surprised if the Feds come a knockin. More times than not, the guilty sing like canaries, hoping for a lighter sentence.
 
Old 04-15-2022, 11:16 PM   #8
Sabertooth-Fox
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Time Reptiles View Post
What a guy! And to think, just how many of you all reading this purchased ill gotten reptiles from this piece of work. Don't be surprised if the Feds come a knockin. More times than not, the guilty sing like canaries, hoping for a lighter sentence.
All the more reason to always vet online vendors
 

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