A Utah man pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal wildlife trafficking charges for illegally importing and selling animal bones and dried insects in his nature store.
Jean-Michel Arrigona, 58, and his company Natur Inc. admitted to importing about 1,500 wildlife items between 2015 and 2020 in violation of the Lacey and Endangered Species Acts, a series of federal laws governing the import, export, and commerce of fish and wildlife.
Arrigona only declared three of the packages to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or customs officials as required by law, according to the Justice Department. He pleaded guilty to one felony trafficking count under the Lacey Act, and Natur pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for violating the Endangered Species Act after both were originally indicted on three combined counts Nov. 18, 2020.
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Most of the wildlife items came from Indonesia, the Justice Department said.
Arrigona brought in skeletons of rodents and bats, as well as dried insects and spiders, according to the indictment. He also imported at least 36 taxidermy bat mounts and keychains and paperweights containing frogs, crustaceans, and other insects.
Judge Robert Shelby of the U.S. District Court of Utah will sentence the defendants Aug. 4. Arrigona could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the felony trafficking count, while the Endangered Species Act provides for a corporate sentence of up to five years probation and a $25,000 fine.
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Arrigona agreed to pay at least $23,101 in fines, and his company agreed to pay $5,000, the Justice Department said.
