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Turtle Trafficking Ring Busted in Georgia
ATLANTA – In a major blow to wildlife trafficking, Nathan Horton, a 37-year-old resident of Orangeburg, South Carolina, has been sentenced to prison for his role in smuggling thousands of freshwater turtles from Georgia to Asia.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Horton used illegal traps to capture the turtles, which were then shipped to California and destined for the Asian market. The operation, which spanned from at least July 2015 to October 2017, netted Horton over $150,000 in profits.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan condemned Horton’s actions, stating, ‘Horton robbed public lands by using illegal traps that can cause significant harm to aquatic animals and birds… This tough but fair sentence should be a warning to anyone who would consider violating our nation’s wildlife protection statutes.’
The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Sistla and Samir Kaushal prosecuted the case.
Nathan Horton was sentenced to one year and a day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000, complete 200 hours of community service, and was banned from trapping turtles and other wildlife for the duration of his supervised release.
The sentencing of Nathan Horton serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of wildlife trafficking on native ecosystems. The overharvesting of turtles can cause lasting damage to overall turtle populations, given their longer life spans and low reproductive rates.
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Wildlife Trafficking|Conservation
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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