2 men indicted for illegally trafficking hundreds of protected birds, thousands of eggs

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Two men were indicted for trafficking protected birds in Brooklyn, New York, last week, according to the United States Department of Justice.

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John Waldrop, 74, and Toney Jones, 53, were indicted. Officials say that Waldrop and Jones allegedly imported hundreds of taxidermy bird mounts and thousands of eggs illegally into the United States, according to WSB-TV.

The indictment says that Waldrop and Jones used online sites like eBay and Etsy to buy taxidermy birds and eggs from around the world, according to the Justice Department. Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Uruguay were some of the locations.

Then the two reportedly imported and collected multiple species of protected birds including canary, dipper, duck, eagle, falcon, grouse, gull, hawk, heron, hoopoe, kestrel, kinglet, lapwing, murre, owl, parrot, pochard, rail, teal, snipe, spoonbill, vulture and woodpecker, officials say.

The indictment also charged them with importing three packages containing taxidermy birds and eggs through John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2020. This was a violation of smuggling and ESA laws, according to the Justice Department. The indictment also found that Waldrop and Jones conspired to commit money laundering by sending funds out of the United States to be able to finance bird smuggling.

The indictment is also seeking the forfeiture of 779 birds and 2,594 eggs that were believed to be illegally imported into the country, WSB reported.

“It is in our national and global interest to enforce federal laws and treaties that protect endangered birds from the harm of alleged profiteers like the defendants, and the Eastern District of New York will do so,” United States Attorney Breon Peace said.

“The Endangered Species Act is a vital law in the fight against international trafficking of protected wildlife,” Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said. “Rare and endangered birds have important roles in their habitats, and we are committed to preventing and deterring their unlawful removal.”

“This investigation highlights the immense pressure illegal trade places on imperiled bird species around the world, and the Service’s commitment to upholding laws and treaties that prevent the exploitation of foreign and domestic species,” USFWS Assistant Director Edward Grace said. “We hope this indictment sends a clear message that our investigators will work tirelessly to seek justice for poached wildlife.”

If convicted of smuggling and money laundering charges, Waldrop and Jones both face up to 20 years in prison plus a $250,000 fine, the Justice Department said. The conspiracy charge has a five-year maximum sentence. The ESA charge carries a sentence of six months in prison.