RE: NANFA-L-- Follow-Up On Alabama Turtle Poaching Arrests

matt ashton (ashtonmj2003-in-yahoo.com)
Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:29:03 -0700 (PDT)

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My thoughts exactly...wouldnt fair be AT LEAST the exact amount of money made by poaching added to the cost of the investigation. That is a pretty common practice now anyways for municipalities to charge for a service such as an investigation (Atlanta Bride) and fire and ambulance calls.

Nick Zarlinga <njz-in-clevelandmetroparks.com> wrote:So let me see if I got this straight. A total of $5800 in fines and $2350 in
restitution, what ever that is, is the result of a several year
investigation? Didn't the original article mention how many tens of
thousands of dollars the poachers made off with? I'd agree, doesn't sound
fair.

Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485

"Who hears the fishes when they cry?"
Henry Thoreau--1817-1862

><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
><)> [owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org]On Behalf
><)> Of Bruce Stallsmith
><)> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 10:53 AM
><)> To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
><)> Subject: NANFA-L-- Follow-Up On Alabama Turtle
><)> Poaching Arrests
><)>
><)>
><)> Below is a follow-up article to earlier discussion
><)> about people busted for
><)> turtle poaching in Alabama. Seven poachers were
><)> convicted, and in my humble
><)> opinion received light sentences.
><)>
><)> --Bruce Stallsmith
><)> Huntsville, AL, US of A
><)> along the Tennessee
><)> * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
><)>
><)> NEWS RELEASE
><)> The Center for North American Herpetology
><)> Lawrence, Kansas
><)> http://www.cnah.org
><)> 12 July 2005
><)>
><)> Huntsville Times (Alabama)
><)>
><)> Seven convicted on turtle poaching charges in
><)> federal investigation
><)> Poachers nabbed in ongoing federal investigation
><)>
><)> Six Alabama residents were convicted 28 June 2005
><)> in Calhoun County
><)> [Alabama]
><)> on multiple counts of violating state laws
><)> regarding the possession or sale
><)> of
><)> protected non-game species related to an ongoing
><)> federal investigation into
><)> turtle poaching.
><)>
><)> Aarion Tucker of Guntersville also was charged in
><)> the investigation and was
><)> convicted 5 July in Marshall County for five
><)> counts of the same violation.
><)> Tucker
><)> paid $500 in fines plus court costs and $500
><)> restitution to the Alabama
><)> Wildlife
><)> Federation's Investigative Fund, according to
><)> information provided by the
><)> Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
><)>
><)> The undercover investigation has been ongoing for
><)> years and is believed to
><)> be
><)> centered in the Southeast, with illegal sales of
><)> turtles to restaurants and
><)> pet
><)> stores as far away as Asia and Europe. Dubbed
><)> "Operation Snapper," it
><)> involves
><)> numerous local and state law enforcement agencies
><)> working in conjunction
><)> with
><)> several state wildlife agencies and the U.S. Fish
><)> and Wildlife Service. The
><)> Alabama Wildlife Federation's Investigative Fund
><)> is used to assist the state
><)> conservation department with covert operations and
><)> resource recovery.
><)>
><)> In Calhoun County, James Robert Hall of Anniston
><)> was convicted on 19 counts
><)> and fined $1,900 as well as $500 restitution to
><)> the investigative fund. He
><)> also
><)> was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which was
><)> suspended. Hall was given two
><)> years
><)> probation.
><)>
><)> Other convictions:
><)>
><)> Teresa Hudson Whitaker, Anniston, 10 counts,
><)> $1,000 in fines and $300
><)> restitution
><)>
><)> John Edward Wright, Oxford, 9 counts, $900 in
><)> fines and $300 restitution
><)>
><)> Donald Collins Lehr, Anniston, 5 counts, $500 in
><)> fines and $250 restitution
><)>
><)> William Davis Lehr, Anniston, 10 counts, $1,000 in
><)> fines and $500
><)> restitution
><)>
><)>
><)> /--------------------------------------------------
><)> ---------------------
><)> / This is the discussion list of the North
><)> American Native Fishes
><)> / Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list
><)> do not necessarily
><)> / reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more
><)> information about NANFA,
><)> / visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all
><)> posts to nanfa-l are
><)> / consistent with the guidelines as per
><)> / http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To
><)> subscribe, unsubscribe, or get
><)> / help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at
><)> / http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml
><)>
><)>

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<DIV>My thoughts exactly...wouldnt fair be AT LEAST the exact amount of money made by poaching added to the cost of the investigation. That is a pretty common practice now anyways for municipalities to charge for a service such as an investigation (Atlanta Bride) and fire and ambulance calls. <BR><BR><B><I>Nick Zarlinga &lt;njz-in-clevelandmetroparks.com&gt;</I></B> wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">So let me see if I got this straight. A total of $5800 in fines and $2350 in<BR>restitution, what ever that is, is the result of a several year<BR>investigation? Didn't the original article mention how many tens of<BR>thousands of dollars the poachers made off with? I'd agree, doesn't sound<BR>fair.<BR><BR>Nick Zarlinga<BR>Aquarium Biologist<BR>Cleveland Metroparks Zoo<BR>216.661.6500 ext 4485<BR><BR><BR>"Who hears the fishes when they cry?"<BR>Henry Thoreau--1817-1862<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; -----Original Message-----<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; From: owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; [owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org]On Behalf<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Of Bruce Stallsmith<BR>&gt;
Arrests<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Below is a follow-up article to earlier discussion<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; about people busted for<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; turtle poaching in Alabama. Seven poachers were<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; convicted, and in my humble<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; opinion received light sentences.<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; --Bruce Stallsmith<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Huntsville, AL, US of A<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; along the Tennessee<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; NEWS RELEASE<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; The Center for North American Herpetology<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Lawrence, Kansas<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; http://www.cnah.org
were convicted 28 June 2005<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; in Calhoun County<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; [Alabama]<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; on multiple counts of violating state laws<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; regarding the possession or sale<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; of<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; protected non-game species related to an ongoing<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; federal investigation into<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; turtle poaching.<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Aarion Tucker of Guntersville also was charged in<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; the investigation and was<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; convicted 5 July in Marshall County for five<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; counts of the same violation.<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Tucker<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; paid $500 in fines plus court costs and $500<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; restitution to the Alabama<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Wildlife<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Federation's Investigative Fund, according to<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; information provided by the<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; The undercover
investigation has been ongoing for<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; years and is believed to<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; be<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; centered in the Southeast, with illegal sales of<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; turtles to restaurants and<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; pet<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; stores as far away as Asia and Europe. Dubbed<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; "Operation Snapper," it<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; involves<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; numerous local and state law enforcement agencies<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; working in conjunction<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; with<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; several state wildlife agencies and the U.S. Fish<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; and Wildlife Service. The<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Alabama Wildlife Federation's Investigative Fund<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; is used to assist the state<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; conservation department with covert operations and<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; resource recovery.<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; In Calhoun County, James Robert Hall of Anniston<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; was convicted on 19 counts<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; and fined $1,900 as well as $500
restitution to<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; the investigative fund. He<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; also<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which was<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; suspended. Hall was given two<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; years<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; probation.<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Other convictions:<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Teresa Hudson Whitaker, Anniston, 10 counts,<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; $1,000 in fines and $300<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; restitution<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; John Edward Wright, Oxford, 9 counts, $900 in<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; fines and $300 restitution<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; Donald Collins Lehr, Anniston, 5 counts, $500 in<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; fines and $250 restitution<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; William Davis Lehr, Anniston, 10 counts, $1,000 in<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; fines and $500<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; restitution<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; /--------------------------------------------------<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt;
---------------------<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / This is the discussion list of the North<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; American Native Fishes<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; do not necessarily<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; information about NANFA,<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; posts to nanfa-l are<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / consistent with the guidelines as per<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; subscribe, unsubscribe, or get<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at<BR>&gt;&lt;)&gt; / http://www.nanfa.org/email.sht
reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,<BR>/ visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are<BR>/ consistent with the guidelines as per<BR>/ http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get<BR>/ help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at<BR>/ http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><p>
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/ Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/guidelines.shtml To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get
/ help, visit the NANFA email list home page and archive at
/ http://www.nanfa.org/email.shtml