Bonners Ferry Man Pleads Guilty To Lacey Act Violation

Admits Aiding and Abetting Unlawful Acquisition and Transportation of Three Mountain Lions

COEUR D’ALENE – Tod S. Navarro, 49, of Naples, Idaho, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court to a superseding information charging him with one count of aiding and abetting the unlawful acquisition and transportation of a mountain lion, a misdemeanor, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Navarro was initially indicted by a federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene on July 16, 2013.

According to the plea agreement, Navarro admitted that on January 19 and 20, 2012, he aided and abetted the unlawful hunting and transporting of three Pumas concolors, more commonly known as mountain lions. Navarro admitted that he allowed his Idaho tag to be put on a mountain lion taken by a hunter from North Dakota, knowing that it was going to be transported to North Dakota.

The charge is punishable by up to one year in prison, a maximum fine of $100,000, and up to one year of supervised release, or a maximum term of five years’ probation. Navarro is set for sentencing on July 21, 2014, before United States District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.

The cases are being investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Idaho Fish and Game.