California man sentenced to over five years for smuggling 1,700 reptiles into U.S.
The animals were reportedly worth more than $739,000 on the black market.
A California man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale wildlife trafficking operation that authorities say involved smuggling at least 1,700 reptiles from Mexico into the United States over a six-year period.
Jose Manuel Perez, 34, of Oxnard, was sentenced to 65 months in prison after pleading guilty in 2022 to two counts of smuggling goods into the United States and one count of wildlife trafficking, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Federal prosecutors said Perez and his co-conspirators operated an extensive smuggling network between January 2016 and February 2022, moving reptiles such as Yucatán box turtles, baby crocodiles, and Mexican beaded lizards across the border. Authorities estimated the trafficked animals carried a combined fair market value exceeding $739,000.
Investigators said the operation involved coordinated logistics, including the use of social media platforms to arrange the purchase, sale, and transport of animals taken from the wild.
Some online posts allegedly included images and videos showing reptiles being captured and removed from their natural habitats.
Officials also said members of the network collected animals from locations such as Ciudad Juárez International Airport in Mexico before transporting them by vehicle into the United States through El Paso, Texas.
Perez reportedly paid a “crossing fee” per shipment, with costs varying based on the number of animals and the risk of detection.
Perez was arrested on February 25, 2022, while attempting to enter the United States with approximately 60 reptiles hidden in bags under his clothing.
Authorities said he initially claimed the animals were pets at the time of his arrest.
In addition to the broader trafficking case, officials noted that Perez is already serving a separate nine-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty in 2023 to firearm possession charges.
The sentencing marks the conclusion of a case prosecutors described as part of a significant effort to disrupt international wildlife smuggling networks operating between Mexico and the United States.
