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A Southern California man has been sentenced to 65 months in federal prison after authorities uncovered a years-long operation that smuggled thousands of live reptiles into the United States from Mexico and China.
Jose Manuel Perez, 34, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to smuggling goods into the country and wildlife trafficking.
Federal prosecutors said that from January 2016 through February 2022, Perez and his co-conspirators moved illegal wildlife across borders without the permits required under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and failed to declare the animals upon entry.
Investigators described a structured smuggling network that relied on coordinated pickups, transportation routes, and cash payments.
Co-conspirators allegedly retrieved wildlife from Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez International Airport and transported the animals by vehicle into El Paso, Texas.
Once inside the US, the animals were transported to Perez’s residence, first in Missouri and later in California after he relocated.
Prosecutors said Perez and associates also traveled into Mexico at times to personally purchase wild-caught animals for smuggling into the US.
The species involved included Yucatan box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles and Mexican beaded lizards.
Authorities said the operation ultimately moved at least 1,700 animals with a combined estimated market value exceeding $739,000.
Officials also said the trafficking enterprise leaned heavily on social media.
Perez and others allegedly used online platforms to negotiate sales, coordinate deliveries and advertise illegally obtained wildlife.
Posts reportedly included images and videos showing animals being ripped from their natural habitats.
The case also connects to a separate incident in which Perez was arrested on Feb. 25, 2022, at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
According to authorities, border agents discovered dozens of reptiles hidden in his clothing, jacket, pockets and even his groin area as he attempted to cross into the US.
Prosecutors said he told officers the animals were his pets.
A superseding indictment alleged Perez worked alongside a network of middlemen, including his sister Stephany, to facilitate the smuggling operation over multiple years.
At the time of sentencing, Perez was already serving a nine-year federal prison term after pleading guilty in May 2023 to multiple counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
He is prohibited from owning guns due to prior felony convictions in Ventura County Superior Court, including street terrorism and assault with a deadly weapon.
The investigation was led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from the US Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
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