Lawrence Treigle, Turtle Smuggling, Louisiana 2014

Lawrence Treigle, a 33-year-old man from Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his role in a turtle smuggling operation that spanned across the country. Treigle pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle turtles out of the United States in violation of the Lacey Act.

According to court documents, Treigle was part of a group of individuals who captured North American Wood turtles from the wild in Pennsylvania, shipped them by mail across the country, and then illegally exported them to Hong Kong.

On December 3, 2014, Treigle pleaded guilty to a superseding Bill of Information. He admitted his involvement in the turtle smuggling operation and acknowledged that the turtles were being shipped to Hong Kong.

U.S. District Court Judge Helen G. Berrigan sentenced Treigle to a term of 15 months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite praised the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service in investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney David Haller was in charge of the prosecution. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting endangered species and preventing wildlife trafficking.

Treigle's sentence is a significant blow to the turtle smuggling operation, and it demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to holding individuals accountable for their crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/covington-man-sentenced-conspiracy-smuggle-turtles-out-united-states