Rene Soliz, Receiving Protected Leopard Tortoises, Texas 2006

Border Patrol Agent Caught Red-Handed in Wildlife Smuggling

A shocking case of wildlife smuggling has rocked the Texas community, as US Border Patrol Agent Rene Soliz pleaded guilty to attempting to receive 15 Tanzanian leopard tortoises, a protected species, in March 2006.

According to court statements, Soliz, a US Border Patrol agent from Alice, Texas, contacted an individual in Dar-Es Salaam, Tanzania, who was selling leopard tortoises. Soliz expressed interest in buying eight of the tortoises and hinted at purchasing more in the future as part of a long-term business relationship.

On April 7, 2006, a US Customs inspector at John F. Kennedy International Airport intercepted a package containing the tortoises, which were labeled as 50 live scorpions. When opened, the package revealed 14 live leopard tortoises and one dead leopard tortoise.

Leopard tortoises are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which affords them protection from over-exploitation. No export permit accompanied the tortoises, highlighting the egregious nature of Soliz's actions.

Soliz faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. As part of the plea agreement, he will resign from the US Border Patrol.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Claire Whitney of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement investigating.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding federal wildlife laws and protecting endangered species from those who seek to exploit them.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/border-patrol-agent-pleads-guilty-attempting-receive-protected-leopard-tortoises