Three Miami-based wildlife traffickers were recently sentenced to prison for trapping and selling migratory birds, with one individual sentenced to six months and another to nine months in prison.
The trio, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Miguel Loureiro, and Hovary Muniz, were found guilty of selling and trafficking over 400 migratory birds, including Puerto Rican Spindalises, Northern Cardinals, and Indigo Buntings, among others.
Rodriguez, also known as “El Doctor,” used a variety of methods to trap the birds, including wooden-and-wire bird traps baited with seed, limesticks coated in adhesive materials, and 10-foot high, 100-foot long mist nets.
Undercover agents purchased approximately 181 birds from Rodriguez, who also sold the frozen corpses of hawks. The seized birds were later released into the wild after a determination that their release was safe and appropriate.
Loureiro, on the other hand, was sentenced to nine months in prison for his role in the wildlife trafficking operation. His exact methods of capturing the birds were not specified in the announcement.
The investigation into the wildlife trafficking operation was a collaborative effort between the USFWS, FWC, CBP, CBP Air and Marine Operations, and USPIS. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Raich.
The sentencing of these three individuals serves as a reminder of the severity of wildlife trafficking and the importance of protecting our nation’s wildlife. The public is encouraged to report any suspicious wildlife activity to the authorities.
Other defendants in the case, Corbo Martinez, Reynaldo Mederos, and Carlos Hernandez, are pending sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Wildlife Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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