bitten
03-20-2005, 11:43 PM
14 convicted in Operation Slither for trading shielded Michigan reptiles
2-year probe involved residents of Toledo, Monroe County
By GEORGE J. TANBER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
LANSING - Authorities yesterday announced the results of a two-year undercover investigation into the illegal trade of Michigan reptiles, which resulted in the conviction of 14 men, including a Toledoan and a Monroe County man.
The investigation, called Operation Slither, began in 2001 after informants told Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials that people were taking protected reptiles - mainly snakes and turtles - from the wild and selling or swapping them at trade shows.
An undercover detective with MDNR's special investigation unit spent two years infiltrating a group of reptile traders.
While attending countless trade shows, the undercover detective observed and participated in numerous transactions involving protected reptiles.
"Our goal was to keep people from taking [the reptiles] from the wild," said Lt. Dave Davis, director of the MDNR's law enforcement division.
When the investigation was completed, in June, 2003, the 14 defendants were charged with 400 misdemeanor counts for the illegal sale or purchase of protected reptiles.
Authorities waited to release information regarding the investigation until all the convictions were final.
Among the defendants, Joel Roggelin of Toledo, pleaded no contest to 18 counts of illegal purchase of protected species.
He was fined $8,750 and placed on two years probation.
Roger Florian of Newport, Mich., pleaded no contest to 10 counts of illegal sale of protected species and was fined $2,959.
One of the defendants, William Sands of Gregory, Mich., received a prison sentence for a federal firearms charge, in addition to narcotics possession and protected species purchase charges.
Lieutenant Davis said all the defendants operated individually and had no relationship with one another.
The principal reptiles involved in the case were the eastern fox snake and massasauga rattler and the eastern box, spotted, and wood turtles, he said.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ohio Department of Natural Resources investigators assisted Michigan's DNR officers in the investigation.
Lieutenant Davis said his department views the operations as a success.
"I think we put a dent in their business," he said.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050319/NEWS02/503190392/-1/NEWS
2-year probe involved residents of Toledo, Monroe County
By GEORGE J. TANBER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
LANSING - Authorities yesterday announced the results of a two-year undercover investigation into the illegal trade of Michigan reptiles, which resulted in the conviction of 14 men, including a Toledoan and a Monroe County man.
The investigation, called Operation Slither, began in 2001 after informants told Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials that people were taking protected reptiles - mainly snakes and turtles - from the wild and selling or swapping them at trade shows.
An undercover detective with MDNR's special investigation unit spent two years infiltrating a group of reptile traders.
While attending countless trade shows, the undercover detective observed and participated in numerous transactions involving protected reptiles.
"Our goal was to keep people from taking [the reptiles] from the wild," said Lt. Dave Davis, director of the MDNR's law enforcement division.
When the investigation was completed, in June, 2003, the 14 defendants were charged with 400 misdemeanor counts for the illegal sale or purchase of protected reptiles.
Authorities waited to release information regarding the investigation until all the convictions were final.
Among the defendants, Joel Roggelin of Toledo, pleaded no contest to 18 counts of illegal purchase of protected species.
He was fined $8,750 and placed on two years probation.
Roger Florian of Newport, Mich., pleaded no contest to 10 counts of illegal sale of protected species and was fined $2,959.
One of the defendants, William Sands of Gregory, Mich., received a prison sentence for a federal firearms charge, in addition to narcotics possession and protected species purchase charges.
Lieutenant Davis said all the defendants operated individually and had no relationship with one another.
The principal reptiles involved in the case were the eastern fox snake and massasauga rattler and the eastern box, spotted, and wood turtles, he said.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ohio Department of Natural Resources investigators assisted Michigan's DNR officers in the investigation.
Lieutenant Davis said his department views the operations as a success.
"I think we put a dent in their business," he said.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050319/NEWS02/503190392/-1/NEWS