Portland, Maine — A man from Maine has admitted guilt in federal court for unlawfully trafficking in protected wildlife parts, which include teeth from endangered whales and the remains of migratory birds, thus breaching U.S. environmental regulations.
Sergey Bachkovsky, hailing from Greene, Maine, made the guilty plea on Tuesday at the U.S. District Court in Portland. According to prosecutors, from June 2023 to March 2024, Bachkovsky imported wildlife products from Eastern Europe and marketed them online to buyers throughout the United States.
The trafficked items included:
- Sperm whale and other marine mammal teeth, both raw and carved into scrimshaw art,
- Ear bones from blue whales and Antarctic minke whales, and
- A carcass of a broad-winged hawk.
Authorities also uncovered additional items intended for sale, including whale vertebrae, bear and marine mammal teeth, and feathers and wings from eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures, according to court records.
“These laws exist to protect some of the most iconic and vulnerable species on the planet,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Illegal wildlife trafficking threatens biodiversity and undermines global conservation efforts.”
The case was a component of Operation Raw Deal, which is a wider federal probe conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aimed at combating the illegal trade of whale bones and teeth. This operation has recently resulted in similar charges being filed in other states, including a sentencing in South Carolina.
Serious Violations of Wildlife Laws
Bachkovsky’s actions breached several federal regulations, including the Lacey Act, which forbids the trafficking of wildlife that has been taken or sold in violation of U.S. or state laws. Numerous species implicated in this case, such as sperm whales and blue whales, are safeguarded under the Endangered Species Act, while the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibit the commercial sale of whale and bird parts without the necessary permits.
Bachkovsky is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces:
- Up to five years in prison,
- Three years of supervised release, and
- A fine of up to $250,000 or twice the financial gain from the illegal sales.
“This case underscores our continued commitment to enforcing environmental laws and holding traffickers accountable,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Scott for the District of Maine.
