Oxnard man smuggled baby crocodiles, among 1,700 other reptiles, gets 5 years

Jose Manuel Perez was sentenced to 65 months in prison for smuggling at least 1,700 reptiles worth more than $739,000 into the United States over six years. The reptiles included baby crocodiles and Yucatán box turtles, and they were sourced from Mexico, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. Wild animals were brought into the country without the permits required under CITES and without being declared. Social media was used to buy and negotiate sales and delivery terms, including posting photos and videos of reptiles being captured in the wild. Reptiles were collected near Ciudad Juárez, transported by car across the border to El Paso, and moved onward to Perez’s home in Missouri and then California. Border crossings involved payments based on the number of animals trafficked, package size, and risk level.

"From January 2016 to February 2022, Perez and co-conspirators brought in wild animals without the permits required by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - and without declaring them, the Justice Department said."

"Social media was used to buy and to negotiate the terms of the sale and delivery of the animals, which included Mexican beaded lizards and baby crocodiles."

"The animals, including baby crocodiles and Yucatán box turtles, were bought and sold over social media and came from Mexico, Hong Kong and elsewhere, an investigation led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed."

"People working with Perez would collect the reptiles including Mexican box turtles and Mexican beaded lizards, at from an airport in Ciudad Juárez, then move them by car over the border to El Paso. According to federal authorities, Perez paid people a "crossing fee" each time they traversed the border. Payment depended on how many animals they trafficked, the size of the package and the level of risk they faced."

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