Florida man sentenced for buying parts of dead endangered animals

TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for buying parts of dead endangered animals, prosecutors said Wednesday.

>> Read more trending news

Steven Phillip Griffin II, 36, of Palm Harbor, also will have two years of supervised release after his prison term ends, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Griffin pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2020, to charges of receiving and transporting the animal parts in violation of the Endangered Species Act, and for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, the news release stated.

The court also ordered Griffin to forfeit two pairs of southern white rhino horns, four African elephant ivory tusks, one African lion skull, three leopard skulls, 10 firearms, and ammunition, the release said.

“This sentence sends a clear message to wildlife traffickers that we and our law enforcement partners are in the business of identifying and apprehending those who exploit protected species for commercial gain,” Special Agent in Charge Phillip Land of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a statement.

According to the plea agreement, Griffin spoke with a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement undercover special agent for more than two years to negotiate the sale and purchase of endangered and threatened wildlife, The Associated Press reported.

According to court documents, Griffin told the agent he collected skulls, full skeletons, and other parts of a variety of endangered and/or threatened wildlife such as lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, rhinos, and elephants. Griffin also sent text messages to the agent that included photographs of his personal collection and a wish list of items, according to prosecutors.

Griffin drove to Texas in May 2019 to meet with undercover agents, the news release stated. He bought and illegally transported the parts of the dead endangered species to his home in Palm Harbor.

According to court documents, Griffin paid the agent $9,750 in cash for the parts, the release said.

Agents later executed a federal search warrant at Griffin’s home and seized a variety of endangered animal parts, weapons and ammunition, the AP reported.

Griffin had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition, according to prosecutors.

©2021 Cox Media Group