McAllen sea turtle smuggler sentenced

McAllen sea turtle smuggler sentenced
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June 20, 2008 - 6:51PM
Jeremy Roebuck

The owner of a McAllen Western-wear business was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison Friday for his role in an international smuggling ring trafficking in exotic animal skins.

Oscar Cueva, 42, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy and money laundering in January in a U.S. District Court in Denver.

At his sentencing Friday, U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn estimated Cueva illegally sneaked more than 200 endangered sea turtle skins, 40 pairs of sea turtle boots and 100 pairs of footwear made from other animal pelts into the country over a two-year period.

In all, the contraband sold for a retail value of more than $200,000, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Ronald Tenpas said in a statement.

"This smuggling ring exploited the illegal killing of countless protected turtles for their skins, all in the pursuit of a profit," he said.

Authorities arrested Cueva in September along with six co-defendants in Colorado and Texas after a two-year investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All of the men have since pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors alleged Mexican businesses would ship skins from endangered animals to the Reynosa office of Cueva's business, La Cueva Western Wear. He would then drive the product across the border to his McAllen home without declaring it and ship the skins to buyers inside the United States.

Some species of sea turtles are sought for their shells, which are made into accessories such as jewelry and brushes. Other species' skins are made into leather goods such as boots and belts.

International trade in all sea turtle parts is prohibited under a treaty signed by Mexico, the United States and more than 170 other countries. U.S. federal law also prohibits border-crossers from bringing any wildlife products into the country without declaring them at customs checkpoints.

In addition to Cueva's prison term, the judge ordered him to pay $5,000 to a sea turtle awareness program, perform 350 hours of community service in a sea turtle conservation program or participate in a public service announcement about the dangers of sea turtle smuggling.

Cueva's attorney Michael J. Garza did not return after-hours phone calls Friday.

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Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.

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