Us Department Of Justice Official Release - 03372-546 Txt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1994

ENR (202) 616-0189 TDD (202) 514-1888

FOUR SENTENCED FOR SMUGGLING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BIRDS INTO THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice announced the sentencing of four persons today by the U.S. District Court in Corpus Christi, Texas for their role in smuggling potentially hazardous birds into the United States. The defendants are part of a decade-long operation to smuggle parrots from Mexico, Central and South America into the U.S. The smuggling, which poses the risk of disease to domestic poultry, violates smuggling statutes, the Endangered Species Act and Dept. of Agriculture regulations. Parrots are carriers of a virus which causes Newcastle Disease, which is not found in birds in the United States. The disease, for which there is no treatment or cure, is particularly dangerous to domestic poultry and can spread so rapidly as to require eradication of entire poultry populations. Since 1971, the Department of Agriculture has paid more than $75 million to indemnify owners of flocks that fell prey to the disease. In addition to threatening domestic livestock, the illegal parrot trade poses considerable hazard to the parrots themselves. As many as 90 percent are estimated to die between the time they are poached and when they are shipped to the United States, and smuggling threatens breeds like the Yellownaped Amazon parrot with extinction. "Today's sentences send the message that we will prosecute and punish animal smugglers wherever we find them," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Environment and Natural Resources Lois Schiffer. The defendants sentenced today were Irene Vasquez of Sandia, TX (5 years probation), Randolph Rosenson of Avondale, LA (1 year in jail, $1,000 fine), George Thorn of Miami, FL (8 months in jail, $1,500 fine) and Mary Orozco of Sandia, TX (1 year). The sentencing of defendant Cazares Salazar, of Montemorelos, TX was postponed. A total of 12 defendants were indicted following a February 7, 1992 seizure of 70 baby parrots in Austin, Texas. An investigation conducted jointly with the U.S. Customs Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uncovered a network of parrot smuggling and distribution to bird hobbyists and pet shops. Of the remaining defendants, one pled guilty and another was convicted of conspiracy charges, three are in a pretrial diversion program, one had charges dismissed, and another is awaiting trial. ### 94-546