Jackson Roe was sentenced to three years of probation and 150 hours of community service for his role in the illegal purchases of several live amphibians from an Asian dealer. He admitted to buying the following reptiles online: six Chinese giant salamanders, a Vietnamese leaf turtle, an Indian roofed turtle, and a Chinese big-headed turtle. He also informed OLE agents that he owned a Nile crocodile, a Morelet’s crocodile, and an American alligator, all of which were seized later that day by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. As part of the investigation, Service wildlife inspectors intercepted a package addressed to the defendant that contained two live Chinese giant salamanders that were packed in plastic jars, with wet moss. There were no holes in the box for air and no documents in the package. The defendant admitted that he knew the Chinese giant salamanders are an endangered and protected species and that he expected them to be extinct in the next 10 years.
DOJ’s Press Release: Conway Man Sentenced for Importation and Possession of Illegally Taken Wildlife
