Six charged with trying to sell tiger pelts, animal parts, feds say

Federal prosecutors charged half a dozen Southern Californians in five cases stemming from their alleged efforts to sell endangered species and animal parts over the Internet, including pelts from endangered Sumatran tigers, authorities said Thursday.

The case grew out of “Operation Wild Web,” a joint effort by U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies to disrupt illegal wildlife trafficking on auction-oriented websites.

Those charged include Hanna Karim, 44, and his wife, Margarita Licomitros, 36, both of Huntington Beach, who are accused of selling a Sumatran tiger skin for $8,000 after the item was advertised on Craigslist.

Federal authorities said there are fewer than 500 of those big cats left in the wild. The couple could each face up to a year in federal prison if found guilty of offering an endangered species for sale.

Separately, Rene De La Peza, 42, of Hacienda Heights, is accused of selling a jaguar skin for $15,000 after advertising the item of Craigslist and charged with offering an endangered species for sale. Jaguars have been listed as endangered for the last 40 years and if convicted of sell their parts as alleged, De La Peza could spend up to a year in federal prison.

The U.S. attorney’s office also charged Michael Roy McIntire, 59, of Encino, with violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 for allegedly selling three migratory bird mounts. McIntire could face up to six months in prison if convicted.

Federal authorities charged Rodrigo Macedo, 29, of Hesperia, with violation of the same law for allegedly selling two western scrub jays, which could result in six months behind bars if convicted.

Lewis Keister, 42, of Hancock Park was charged with a felony offense of illegally trafficking wildlife for allegedly selling a pair of seal fur moccasins for $750 last August.

The complaint affidavit also alleges that Keister, the owner of East Meets West Antiques on La Brea Avenue, sold three Native American dolls, one said to be made of whalebone, and three bags, one made of seal fur, to an undercover agent last December.

If convicted of violating the Lacey Act, Keister would face a maximum possible penalty of five years in prison.

The six defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on August 8.

As part of Operation Wild Web, state and federal prosecutors across the nation have filed more than 100 criminal cases, most in California, Texas and Florida.

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