Jimmy Wayne Hammonds, Lacey Act Trafficking, Florida 2025

Tampa Bay, FL – Jimmy Wayne Hammonds, 62, aka ‘The Monkey Whisperer,’ has been handed a harsh sentence for his involvement in Lacey Act trafficking, a federal crime in Florida.

U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Hammonds to nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to violate the Lacey Act and Lacey Act trafficking. The court also ordered Hammonds to pay a $60,000 fine to benefit the Lacey Act Reward Fund and banned him from possessing, breeding, selling, transporting, or exhibiting any wildlife.

According to court documents, despite being a convicted Lacey Act trafficker and on federal probation, Hammonds ran a business called ‘The Monkey Whisperer, LLC,’ which specialized in selling primates and other exotic animals. Through his business’s social media account, Hammonds connected with an undercover agent, and at his request, the conversations moved to an encrypted texting app to discuss potential wildlife sales.

Hammonds agreed to sell the undercover agent two common marmosets for $7,400. He arranged for the transaction to occur in Georgia to avoid law enforcement oversight. The two common marmosets are pictured below.

Hammonds’ actions did not go unnoticed by law enforcement. As a result of this prosecution, he surrendered his ownership of 67 animals, including numerous primate species, muntjac deer, lemurs, kangaroos, wallabies, and otters.

Hammonds’ violation of probation hearing is set to take place on April 2, 2026. This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service with substantial assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Abigail K. King.

U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. ‘The Lacey Act is in place to protect our nation’s wildlife from those who would seek to exploit them for personal gain,’ he said. ‘We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who commit these crimes to justice.’

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