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New York Man Sentenced for Trafficking Endangered Lion and Tiger Parts
Woodside, New York resident Arongkron ‘Paul’ Malasukum, 42, was sentenced to nine months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release for illegally trafficking parts from endangered African lions and tigers.
Malasukum pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act. According to court documents, Malasukum admitted to meeting with undercover agents who were working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and purchasing a tiger skull from the agents.
Malasukum also admitted to purchasing lion skulls from an auction house in Texas through the undercover agents, who were acting as ‘straw buyers’ for Malasukum. He provided the undercover agents with cash and directed them on which items to bid and ultimately win. After the purchases, Malasukum shipped the tiger and lion skulls from Texas to his home in Woodside, New York. From New York, Malasukum shipped the skulls to Thailand for sale to a wholesale buyer.
As part of his plea, Malasukum admitted that between April 9, 2015 and June 29, 2016, he purchased and exported from the United States to Thailand approximately 68 packages containing skulls, claws, and parts from endangered and protected species, with a total fair market value in excess of $150,000.
The two subspecies of lions listed as threatened and/or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are Panthera leo melanachaita, found in eastern and southern Africa, and Panthera leo leo, found in India and western and central Africa. Panthera leo leo has only about 1,400 members remaining, while Panthera leo melanachaita numbers between 17,000-19,000 and is found across southern and eastern Africa.
U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III, handed down the sentence in Sherman, Texas. The sentence was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown for the Eastern District of Texas, and Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Edward Grace.
‘Today’s sentencing is another positive result from the Justice Department’s continued partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in fighting the menace of illegal trade in protected wildlife,’ said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood. ‘Those who scheme and plot to criminally profit from the exploitation of these creatures will be brought to justice, as the defendant in this case has now learned.’
‘The defendant in this case profited from the endangered status of African lions and tigers by illegally buying and selling their parts on the black market,’ said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown for the Eastern District of Texas. ‘We will continue to enforce our endangered species laws to protect our beautiful animal resources.’
‘We are committed to bringing to justice those who would profit from the illegal international and interstate trafficking of wildlife,’ said Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Edward Grace. ‘We thank our state and federal partners for their help in investigating and prosecuting cases on behalf of imperiled species.’
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Wildlife Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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