A Texas couple is accused of wildlife trafficking after making an attempt to promote a jaguar cub to an secret agent, federal officers say.
Rafael Gutierrez-Galvan, 29, first met with a purchaser on Aug. 24 within the parking zone of an Academy Sports and Outdoors, in McAllen, in line with a information launch from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. In alternate for $7,500, Gutierrez-Galvan handed over a small tan and white cat with black spots — a margay kitten, officers stated.
Margays are a species of untamed cat that stay in Central and South America, and are related in dimension and look to an ocelot.
After the sale, Gutierrez-Galvan agreed to satisfy with the customer a second time to promote a a lot totally different, extra harmful cat — a jaguar, in line with a felony criticism.
He went to the Sept. 26 assembly unaware that his new buyer was an secret agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, paperwork say.
As he was making the sale, brokers have been watching his home in close by Alamo. They noticed Gutierrez-Galvan’s spouse, 28-year-old Deynira Garza, go away the home with a case, get right into a automotive and drive, paperwork stated.
She was pulled over moments later by an Alamo police officer, officers stated. She later admitted to investigators that the case was stuffed with money that her husband had requested her to deliver to him, in line with court docket paperwork.
The money wasn’t coming, and when Gutierrez-Galvan gave the customer the jaguar cub, extra brokers immediately appeared, officers stated. He informed the brokers in Spanish, “I’m just here to sell a cat.”
The husband and spouse have been taken into custody.
Attorneys representing the couple declined to remark to McClatchy News.
Gutierrez-Galvan informed investigators that he buys and sells unique animals, paperwork learn. His spouse stated she helped him ship the margay, and that she would act as a translator for him when wanted, officers stated.
The couple are accused of violating the Big Cat Act, which was handed in 2022, in line with the discharge. If convicted, they may spend as much as 5 years in jail and be fined $20,000, the discharge stated.
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