Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
15 Lizards, 15 Months: Wildlife Smuggler Gets His Sentence
The famous Larchmont Lizard (read more about this guy here) (Photo by manmadepants via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
It was a nice try, but against the law, and today the actions of Michael Plank of Lomita have had their consequences set. Plank, 42, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for smuggling 15 lizards from Australia into the United States--so basically one month per lizard.
Plank brought the lizards (two Geckos, two Monitor lizards, and 11 Skink lizards) into the U.S. in November 2009; he was busted as he attempted to pass through customs at Los Angeles International Airport with the lizards stashed in money belts.
Last year, Plank pleaded guilty to the charges. The big stink about the lizards being smuggled is in part because one of the species he was packing, the Monitor lizard, is
"listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means that the species may become threatened with extinction unless trade is closely controlled," explains the Department of Justice. Additionally, wildlife trafficking is something the government considers "a serious crime that will result in significant prison time for those who engage in this despicable activity."
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
