Related Federal Cases
- Erick Mendoza, Bank Robbery, Florida 2024 · Florida
- Jordan Denzel Lewis, Armed Robbery, Florida 2022 · Florida
- Ariel Valero, Armed Bank Robbery, Florida 2019 · Florida
- Florida Man, Assaulting Law Enforcement, Washington DC, 2021 · Florida
- Rodolphe Jaar, Assassination of Haitian President, Florida 2021 · Florida
Miami Taxidermist Sentenced for Wildlife Smuggling
Enrique Gomez De Molina, 48, of Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced in federal court in Miami to 20 months in prison for illegal trafficking in endangered and protected wildlife.
Gomez De Molina was also sentenced to one year of supervised release to follow his prison term, a $6,000 fine, and was ordered to forfeit all of the smuggled wildlife in his possession.
According to documents filed with the court, Gomez De Molina attempted to import wildlife species including skins of a Java kingfisher and a collared kingfisher, one mounted lesser bird of paradise, the skin of a juvenile hawk-eagle, the carcass remnant of a slow loris, and the carcass remnant of a lesser mouse deer, without proper declarations when imported into the United States and without the required permits.
In some cases, commercial transactions in listed species, such as the slow loris, are not allowed at all.
The United States is a signatory to an international treaty known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which includes species that are threatened with extinction and for which no trade is allowed for commercial purposes.
Gomez De Molina’s illegal wildlife trafficking activities extended from late 2009 through February 2011, and included numerous species and shipments, involving contacts in Bali, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Canada, and China.
The defendant’s activities were detected, and he was sentenced to prison, with additional penalties including a fine and forfeiture of the smuggled wildlife.
Gomez De Molina was described as a taxidermist who incorporated various parts and segments of the wildlife into taxidermy pieces at a studio in downtown Miami, which he offered through galleries and on the Internet for prices ranging up to $80,000.
Gomez De Molina’s case is a reminder of the importance of enforcing laws to protect endangered and protected wildlife.
According to the allegations contained in the information and a detailed factual statement in the court record, Gomez De Molina’s illegal wildlife trafficking activities involved the importation into the U.S. of the parts, skins, and remains of species, including a king cobra, a pangolin, hornbills, birds of paradise, and the skulls of babirusa and orangutans.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
