https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea...ifornia-20189764.php


A casual in-flight chat exposed a Calif. 'trophy room' of illegal wildlife

By Olivia Hebert,
News Reporter
Feb 26, 2025


A casual conversation on a flight led to the unraveling of a sprawling case of hunted protected and endangered animals, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday.


The case, which resulted in guilty pleas, fines and probation for three California residents, began in November 2023 when two plainclothes CDFW officers, returning from a training in San Diego on a flight to Northern California, overheard a couple, Byron Lee Fitzpatrick, 24, and Shannon Lee Price, 28, discussing hunting. The officers, who were seated near the couple, struck up a conversation with them, only for things to take a revealing turn.


According to the CDFW, the unsuspecting passengers disclosed they were transporting a sea turtle skull from the East Coast and admitted they had also unlawfully taken a mountain lion — a specially protected species in California that cannot be hunted or possessed even if it dies from natural causes. They also mentioned a relative in Napa County with taxidermic mountain lions, a wolverine and wolves, even showing a video of the “trophy room.”

The officers asked to see the sea turtle skull after the flight landed, the CDFW said. The couple, aware of the legal implications, revealed it only once Transportation Security Administration personnel were out of sight. The skull belonged to a green sea turtle, a federally endangered species illegal to possess and transport in the United States.

The CDFW said warrants for the couple’s Chico home and the Napa County residence of their relative uncovered further violations. At the Chico home, officers found the couple illegally possessing mountain lion claws, a taxidermic barn owl and several deer that had been unlawfully taken. At the Napa County home, officers seized two taxidermic mountain lions and a wolverine, both fully protected species.

“This is an excellent example of collaboration with our federal partners to ensure accountability for individuals involved in illegal wildlife trafficking and to make sure they’re being held accountable on all levels,” CDFW Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement Andrew Halverson told SFGATE.


The investigation, conducted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, led to formal charges against Fitzpatrick, Price and the relative, 64-year-old Harry Vern Fitzpatrick. In plea agreements, Byron was fined $1,865, while Price was fined $1,015. Both pleaded guilty to violating sections of the California Fish and Game Code and were placed on one year of probation prohibiting hunting and fined an additional $1,000 for violating federal wildlife laws.

Harry pleaded guilty to two charges of violating a section of the state Fish and Game Code; he was fined $605 and given six months of probation. All unlawfully possessed wildlife possessed by the three was forfeited.

Anyone with information about poaching or wildlife crimes is urged to report violations via the toll-free CALTIP hotline at 888-334-CALTIP.

https://mendofever.com/2025/02...-poaching-operation/


Smuggled sea turtle skull uncovers Northern California poaching operation
Categories:CrimeNews
MendoFever Staff
MendoFever Staff
February 27, 2025

The following is a press release issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife:


The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the settlement of an investigation involving the unlawful possession of a sea turtle skull, several mountain lions, a wolverine, a ringtail cat, owl parts and illegally harvested deer.

CDFW’s investigation was conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and prosecuted by the Butte County and Napa County district attorney’s offices and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California resulting in a conviction, fines and probation for all involved suspects.

CDFW’s investigation began in November 2023 when two of its canine officers from the Northern Enforcement District were flying back to northern California from a training in San Diego.

The officers were dressed in plain clothes and seated in front of a couple who were discussing hunting. A conversation with the officers and the unsuspecting couple ensued that ultimately led to the couple disclosing that they were transporting a sea turtle skull from the East Coast in their luggage. The couple also discussed their unlawful take of a mountain lion, which is a specially protected species in California illegal to hunt or possess in whole or in part.

The couple then spoke openly about a close family member’s unlawful possession of multiple taxidermized mountain lions, a wolverine and wolves at the family member’s residence in Napa County. The couple then proceeded to share a video with the wildlife officers of the family member’s “trophy room” where the illegal mounts were displayed.


After deboarding the plane, the wildlife officers asked if the couple would show them the sea turtle skull. The suspects acknowledged the potential unlawful possession and waited until after any Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers could see before showing the officers the sea turtle skull concealed in a jacket inside their carry-on luggage. The skull belonged to a green sea turtle, a federally listed endangered species illegal to possess and transport.

Once back to their patrol districts, the wildlife officers authored search warrants for the couple’s residence in Chico and the family member’s residence in Napa County. The warrants were signed by judges in Butte and Napa counties.

In the process of serving the search warrant in Butte County, wildlife officers found the couple processing a deer that was taken illegally earlier in the day. Deer season was closed, and the suspects had no deer tags. Also inside the residence, wildlife officers found mountain lion claws, a ringtail cat, a barn owl mount, an illegal spike buck and several unlawfully taken deer with tagging violations.

Ringtail cats are a fully protected species in California. Mounted raptors and raptor parts are illegal to possess without appropriate state and federal permits.

At the family member’s residence in Napa County, meanwhile, wildlife officers discovered two illegal, full-bodied taxidermized mountain lions and one full-bodied taxidermized wolverine. Wolverines are another fully protected species in California illegal to possess.

All the unlawfully possessed animals and parts of unlawful animals were seized as evidence for the prosecution in Napa County, Butte County and in federal district court.

Formal complaints were filed against 24-year-old Byron Lee Fitzpatrick, 28-year-old Shannon Lee Price and 64-year-old Harry Vern Fitzpatrick by the Butte and Napa County district attorney’s offices, which initiated prosecution of the poaching crimes. The possession of the sea turtle skull, portions of deer parts and the owl violations were turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which assisted in the search warrants, investigation and prosecution.

A plea agreement was reached on Jan. 30, 2025, in Butte County. Byron Lee Fitzpatrick was convicted of violating Fish and Game Code section 2000(a) and 2002, receiving a $1,865 fine and one-year probation prohibiting hunting or being around those engaged in hunting. Shannon Lee Price was convicted of violating Fish and Game Code section 2002, receiving a $1,015 fine and one-year probation prohibiting hunting or being around those engaged in hunting. All wildlife seized was forfeited.

A plea agreement was reached on April 23, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Byron Lee Fitzpatrick and Shannon Lee Price were each fined $1,000 for violations of federal wildlife regulations and laws.


A plea agreement was reached on Feb. 15, 2024, in Napa County. Harry Vern Fitzpatrick was convicted of two counts of Fish and Game Code section 4800(b), fined $605, ordered to serve six-months probation and forfeited all unlawfully possessed and transported wildlife as a result of the convictions.

“This case exemplifies the unwavering preparedness and swift action demonstrated by our wildlife officers,” said CDFW Chief of Law Enforcement Nathaniel Arnold. “It highlights a broad spectrum of natural resource violations and underscores the critical role our officers play in safeguarding our resources, not only here in California but elsewhere throughout the country and abroad. These violations encompass the take of deer out of season and the illegal possession of taxidermy, including endangered and protected species. Like human and narcotics trafficking, wildlife trafficking of both live animals and animal parts is known to fund transnational criminal organizations and their violent activities all over the world. The individuals involved exhibited a flagrant disregard for laws governing natural resources and are now being held accountable for their actions.”

CDFW is thankful for the support from the Butte and Napa County district attorney’s offices as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The investigation, which started as a casual conversation among airline passengers, led officers to serious violations of state and federal wildlife laws.

Anyone witnessing a poaching or polluting incident or any fish and wildlife violation or who has information about such a violation should immediately dial the toll-free CALTIP number, 1-888 334-CALTIP (888-334-2258), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Loose lips sinks ships.

Remember the Komiefornia F&G Commissioner or high F&G officer who lost his job because he went on a perfectly legal Utah or Nevada mountain lion hunt? Callifornia was once a great state. Now it's run by some of the stupidest people in America.

They got a slap on the wrist for all they did!

quote:

Originally posted by MtElkHunter:
They got a slap on the wrist for all they did!

Agree! I wouldn't even call it a slap, more like a wink,wink.

Full details of this can be found over on 24hour, one of the long-standing members there is the CA gentleman involved. as happens in the media, there is definitely some twisting of facts.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com...poacher#Post20255978

And here jury end executioner already hung you…sorry to hear about your experience with your CA game people
They are …at least some of them drunk on power given to them by state legislatures and at times they act like damn near gestapo…my own experience without doing anything wrong

Good Lord that state sucks. Read the story and he knew the law and accepted the penalty like an adult. Right and legal don't always equate....especially in commie shitholes.