A man from Southern California has received a 65-month federal prison sentence after officials uncovered a lengthy scheme to smuggle thousands of live reptiles into the U.S. from Mexico and China.
Jose Manuel Perez, 34, admitted guilt in August 2022 to charges linked to smuggling goods and trafficking wild animals.
From January 2016 to February 2022, Perez and his co-conspirators allegedly moved wild animals across the border without the necessary permits. This act violated the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Prosecutors stated that Perez and his associates sometimes traveled to Mexico to acquire wild-caught animals for smuggling into the U.S.
Investigators outlined a well-structured smuggling operation that involved coordinated pickups, transportation routes, and cash transactions.
The wild animals were reportedly collected from Ciudad Juarez International Airport in Mexico and then transported to El Paso, Texas. After entering the country, they were taken to Perez’s residences in Missouri and later in California after he moved.
Perez’s operation included various species such as Yucatan box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby alligators, and Mexican beaded lizards. Authorities estimate that at least 1,700 animals were relocated through this operation, valued at over $739,000.
Border Patrol once found numerous reptiles hidden in the clothing of an individual attempting to enter the U.S., which highlighted the extent of the smuggling tactics.
Officials indicated that social media played a significant role in this trafficking scheme. Perez and his collaborators allegedly used online platforms to arrange sales and promote the illegally acquired wildlife, sometimes posting images and videos of the animals being captured from their natural environments.
This case is also linked to an earlier incident where Perez was arrested at the San Isidro Port of Entry on February 25, 2022. There, agents discovered numerous reptiles concealed in his clothing, a situation he claimed was due to the animals being his pets.
Furthermore, Perez is believed to have collaborated with a network of intermediaries, including his sister, to support this smuggling operation over the years.
At the time of his sentencing, Perez was already serving a nine-year federal sentence after pleading guilty in May 2023 to multiple counts related to possession of a firearm as a felon. His criminal background includes serious offenses like street terrorism and assault with a deadly weapon, making him prohibited from firearm ownership.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with help from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
