Two Staten Island Residents Plead Guilty to Illegally Exporting US Native Turtles
Quick Look
- Kin Keung Ho and Lihua Owen Ma, residents of Staten Island, pleaded guilty to illegally exporting hundreds of US native turtles, falsely labeling packages.
- They face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Kin Keung Ho and Lihua Owen Ma, both Staten Island residents, pleaded guilty to charges related to the illegal export of several species of US native turtles.
Kin Keung Ho pleaded guilty on Thursday while Lihua Owen Ma pleaded guilty to a similar charge on July 1. Both are residents of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City.
“During the plea hearing, the government proffered that Ho shipped approximately 99 packages containing 578 turtles,” the agency said. “Ho falsely labelled the contents as containing crystals or stones.”
According to court documents, Ho and Ma were charged separately with exporting several species of US native turtles, including eastern box turtles, western box turtles, three-toed box turtles, spotted turtles and diamondback terrapins.
The pair face up to five years in prison and a US$250,000 fine, or twice the economic gain. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Lawyers representing Ho and Ma could not be reached for comment.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Kin Keung Ho and Lihua Owen Ma will be sentenced for their crimes.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What will be the exact sentencing for Ho and Ma?
- Which specific agency brought the charges?
