Federal case ends after years of illegal reptile trafficking.
A California man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after admitting to taking part in a large wildlife smuggling operation involving reptile smuggling that brought thousands of protected animals into the United States most of which were reptiles. Jose Manuel Perez of Oxnard received a 65-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to federal charges tied to reptile smuggling and wildlife trafficking. According to federal authorities, Perez and others were involved in illegally bringing these animals into the country from Mexico, Hong Kong, and other locations between 2016 and early 2022.
Investigators said the operation involved at least 1,700 animals with an estimated market value exceeding $739,000. Many of the animals were species protected by international agreements that require permits before they can be moved across borders. Officials said those permits were never obtained by the the traffickers, and the animals were not properly declared when entering the United States.
Court records showed that social media played a major role in the operation. Perez and his associates used online platforms to arrange purchases, negotiate sales, and coordinate deliveries without drawing unwanted attention. Authorities said animals that had been taken from the wild were offered for sale through online posts that included photographs and videos.
Federal prosecutors stated that several species were moved from Mexico into the U.S. through a highly organized network. The animals included Yucatán box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles, and Mexican beaded lizards. According to the government, co-conspirators picked up wildlife in Mexico and transported the animals toward the border, eventually bringing them through Texas.
Authorities said Perez paid fees to individuals who handled the border crossings. The amount reportedly depended on factors such as the number of animals being transported, the size of the shipment, and the chance of attracting attention from law enforcement officers. Investigators also found that Perez and another participant traveled into Mexico on some occasions to purchase animals directly. Those animals were then brought into the United States without the required paperwork. Once across the border, the animals were sent to Perez’s residence. During the years covered by the case, Perez lived first in Missouri and later in California.
The prison sentence adds to legal problems Perez was already facing. Before the wildlife trafficking case reached sentencing, he had begun serving a separate nine-year federal prison sentence related to firearms charges. Prosecutors said Perez pleaded guilty in 2023 to three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. Federal law barred him from possessing firearms because of earlier felony convictions in California state court. Those prior convictions included street terrorism and assault with a deadly weapon.
The reptile smuggling sentence brings an end to a case that exposed a years-long operation involving protected reptiles, illegal border crossings, and wildlife sales conducted through social media networks. Prosecutors said the evidence showed a steady flow of animals entering the country outside of legal channels until the operation was finally discovered and shut down.
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SoCal man sentenced for smuggling at least 1,700 reptiles into U.S. from Mexico
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