Executive Summary
- Jose Manuel Perez’s sentencing for wildlife smuggling has been delayed to March 19.
- Perez admitted to smuggling over 1,700 animals valued at $739,000 into the U.S.
- The defendant was arrested with 60 reptiles concealed in his clothing at the border.
- Perez previously fled to Mexico after removing a court-ordered ankle monitor.
A sentencing hearing scheduled Thursday for a Southern California man who admitted to smuggling more than 1,700 wild animals into the United States was delayed until March 19. Jose Manuel Perez, 34, informed the judge that he required additional time to prepare for the proceedings. Perez, who pleaded guilty in August 2022 to two counts of smuggling goods into the U.S. and one count of wildlife trafficking, faces significant federal prison time for orchestrating a scheme that operated over a six-year period.
According to federal prosecutors, Perez and his accomplices utilized social media to organize the smuggling operation, which ran from January 2016 to February 2022. The plea agreement filed in Los Angeles federal court details that the smuggled wildlife included Yucatan box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles, and Mexican beaded lizards. These animals were imported from Mexico and Hong Kong without the necessary declarations to U.S. customs officials or permits required by the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Law enforcement officials estimate the total market value of the wildlife trafficked by Perez exceeded $739,000.
Court papers indicate that Perez employed the alias “Julio Rodriguez” to conceal his identity during the transactions. The operation involved accomplices retrieving animals from Ciudad Juarez International Airport in Mexico and transporting them to El Paso, Texas, for a “crossing fee.” Perez subsequently shipped the animals to his family’s residence in Oxnard, California, for resale to customers across the United States. Officials noted that Perez also personally transported wildlife, crossing into the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry approximately three dozen times between February 2021 and February 2022.
Authorities arrested Perez on February 25, 2022, at the San Ysidro crossing. At the time of his arrest, officials discovered 60 reptiles concealed in tied-up bags hidden within his jacket pockets, pants pockets, groin area, and pant legs. Three of the reptiles died during the smuggling attempt. Following his initial release on bond in May 2022, Perez removed his court-ordered ankle monitor on June 5, 2022, and fled to Tijuana, Mexico. He was apprehended approximately 10 days later and returned to U.S. custody.
Judicial Implications and Sentencing Factors
The delay in sentencing prolongs a case that highlights the intersection of international wildlife trafficking and federal flight risks. Given Perez’s admission of guilt and his subsequent flight to Mexico while out on bond, the upcoming sentencing phase will likely address not only the ecological impact of the smuggling ring but also the defendant’s disregard for pretrial supervision. The court must weigh the severity of the 20-year maximum sentence per smuggling count against the specifics of the plea agreement, setting a potential precedent for how flight risks are penalized in environmental crime cases. It is important to note that while the defendant has entered a guilty plea, the final determination of sentencing rests with the court.
