ANIMALS
NY Man Pleads Guilty After Selling Taxidermy Cougar Head To Undercover Officer
Brooklyn District Attorney's Office
A New York man on Thursday pleaded guilty to violating state environmental laws after selling a taxidermy cougar head to an undercover officer.
Usher Weiss, 26, pleaded guilty to violating New York State Environmental Conservation Law, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Weiss was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and surrender a variety of contraband found in his possession.
According to the DA’s office, an undercover officer with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation met Weiss in the basement of a building on 49th Street in Borough Park, Brooklyn, on Nov. 2, 2023, at around 8:15 p.m. There, the undercover officer gave Weiss $900 for the cougar head mount. Weiss also offered a cheetah head mount for $10,000.
On Dec. 5, 2023, at around 8:30 p.m., the undercover officer met Weiss at a building on 53rd Street in Borough Park, and Weiss handed over a cheetah head mount, the skull of a big cat, the skin of a pinniped pup, and a bird mount.
Investigators later found other illegal items in Weiss’ possession, including a full alligator taxidermy, a tiger skin, a cheetah skin, and an elephant foot he had bought on websites including Craigslist and OfferUp. Weiss surrendered the illegal items to DEC in April.
“Were committed to stopping the illegal wildlife trade in our communities, and by prosecuting cases like this, were not just enforcing the law — were sending a strong message that protecting endangered species from harm is a priority. I appreciate our strong partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the hard work of our prosecutors in securing this conviction, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.
“Cracking down on the illegal wildlife trade in New York State helps save the lives of animals often targeted by brutal poachers, said NYS DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. DECs Division of Law Enforcement explores every tip, chases down all leads, and fully investigates claims regarding the international illegal wildlife trade and its facilitators in New York State to ensure lawbreakers are held accountable for their crimes and animals are protected. DEC is proud to work with our partners in the Brooklyn District Attorneys Office and advance this investigation that led to a successful prosecution.”
TMX contributed to this article.
