Miami, Florida – A Texas man has been convicted of lying to federal agents during an investigation into international wildlife trafficking.
Gary Tucker, 64, of Alice, Texas, pled guilty to making a false statement to Special Agents of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, according to a court hearing in Fort Lauderdale.
Tucker admitted to lying about his involvement in the procurement and importation of long-tailed macaques, small non-human primates, from Southeast Asia. Agents asked Tucker about his employer, Orient BioResource Center (OBRC), and whether they prepared or submitted audits or reports concerning visits to supplier sites in Cambodia.
Tucker responded that no such reports existed, but in fact, preparation and submission of site visit reports was a standard procedure at OBRC. Court documents reveal that the existence of these reports was material to the ongoing investigation.
The international community and the United States strictly regulate the possession, sale, export, and import of these primates under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Tucker faces a possible prison sentence of up to 5 years, a term of supervised release of up to 3 years, and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing has been set for October 13 at 1:30 pm in Fort Lauderdale.
Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Burke of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced the conviction. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service investigated the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald prosecuted the case. Related court documents can be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Related Federal Cases
- Ex-Army Corps Worker Tracey Sellers Accused of Lying to Feds · Ohio
- $3.9M Seized in International Wildlife Trafficking Bust · Texas
- Texas Feds Target CARES Act Fraud · Alabama
- Handbag Heiress Sentenced for Trafficking in Protected Wildlife · Maryland
- Naomi Ruth Smith, Child Sex Trafficking, M.D. Florida, 2023 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Wildlife Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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