Texas Man Sentenced for Smuggling Sea Turtle Leather Boots into U.S.
HOUSTON — On January 5, a federal court in the Southern District of Texas sentenced Alejandro Hernandez to three years of probation along with 50 hours of community service for his involvement in smuggling goods into the United States. Hernandez had entered a guilty plea to the charge under 18 U.S.C. § 371.
According to prosecutors, Hernandez ran an online shop that promoted custom boots crafted from various animal skins. In June 2024, he sold a pair of boots made from sea turtle leather to an undercover agent for $900. Hernandez acknowledged that he was aware it was illegal to produce and sell items made from sea turtle leather. The boots were manufactured in Guanajuato, Mexico, and were delivered to the agent in Houston in October 2024.
The investigation was carried out by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement.
While Hernandez managed to avoid prison time, he will be under federal supervision throughout his probation.
Man Sentenced for Smuggling Protected Parakeets from Mexico into U.S.
SAN DIEGO — On January 26, a federal court in the Southern District of California sentenced Naim Lajud Libien to time served, three years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $2,332 in restitution for smuggling endangered birds into the United States. Libien, a citizen of Mexico, had pleaded guilty to one count of importing protected wildlife under 18 U.S.C. § 545.
Court records indicate that on April 29, 2025, Libien tried to enter the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in his Jeep Grand Cherokee, using a Border Crossing Card. Customs and Border Protection officers redirected him to secondary inspection after noticing unusual bulges around his ankles. A subsequent pat-down uncovered six orange-fronted parakeets concealed inside his boots, some of which had injuries from being restrained.
The next day, officers found six more parakeets in the passenger seat cushions of the vehicle, bound in pantyhose, with two of them deceased. Orange-fronted parakeets, which are native to Western Mexico and Costa Rica, are classified under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Libien will be under federal supervision throughout his three-year probation period.
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Iowa Man Fined and Probated for Killing Goose on City Street
ANKENY, Iowa — On January 26, a federal court in the Southern District of Iowa sentenced Joseph T. Lamb to six months of probation and imposed a $2,000 fine for breaching the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Lamb faced charges under 16 U.S.C. §§ 703(a) and 707(a) after he killed a Canada Goose in June 2025.
Court records indicate that on June 10, while driving on State Street in Ankeny, Lamb halted his vehicle to allow a group of nine geese to cross. However, as the birds entered his lane, he allegedly accelerated, colliding with and killing one of the geese. A nearby business captured the incident on video, which was subsequently reported to local authorities.
The Ankeny Police Department conducted an investigation into the matter, with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement.
During his six-month probation period, Lamb will be under federal supervision.
Kentucky Oil Operator Indicted for Illegal Discharge into Creek
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ky. — On January 15, federal prosecutors issued an indictment against Joshua Ferguson, who owns and operates oil production wells in Lawrence County, for breaching the Clean Water Act. Ferguson is accused of unlawfully releasing pollutants into a waterway without the necessary permit, contravening 33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a) and 1319(c)(2)(A).
Court documents reveal that Ferguson operated production wells and tanks that stored wastewater, referred to as “produced” or “brine” water. On September 3, 2025, he allegedly released a tank filled with brine water into the Left Fork Blaine Creek via a hose.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection.
This indictment initiates a federal case, and Ferguson is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
