Broward Resident Pleads Guilty And Sentenced For Violating The Endangered Species Act

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Otha Easley, Acting Special Agent in Charge, NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Division, and Major Camille Soverel, Regional Commander, South A Region, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), announce that Robert Jaques, 43, of Deerfield Beach, plead guilty to an information today charging him with the attempted sale of an endangered species, specifically a Largetooth Sawfish (Pristis perotteti) rostrums, in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, Title 16, United States Code, Sections 1538(a)(1)(F) and 1540(b)(1).

According to Court records, on June 27, 2013, in Palm Beach County, Jaques offered to sell two Largetooth Sawfish rostrums to an NOAA undercover agent. The list of endangered species at Title 50, Code of Federal Regulation, Section 224.101 identifies the Largetooth Sawfish as an endangered species subject to the ESA. An endangered species is any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Jaques was sentenced immediately following his guilty plea to 10 days imprisonment.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement and the FWC. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Norman O. Hemming, III and Antonia Barnes.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.