Share
TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida man who went by the nickname “the Monkey Whisperer” has been charged in federal court with illegally transporting and selling primates, including a species considered endangered, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday.
Jimmy Wayne Hammonds, 57, of Parrish, was charged with conspiracy, trafficking and submitting a false record in violation of the Lacey Act, a federal law involving the illegal trade in wildlife, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Prosecutors said Hammonds owned and operated a wildlife breeding and sales business called The Monkey Whisperer, LLC, through which he tried to sell a capuchin monkey to a buyer in California, even though the buyer could not legally own the animal.
Hammonds was accused of organizing the illegal transport of the monkey across the country, where authorities seized the animal from the buyer’s California home, according to the Justice Department.
The indictment alleged he also sold endangered cotton-top tamarins to buyers in Alabama, South Carolina and Wisconsin, then concealed the animal trafficking by submitting false records to authorities and attempting to persuade a witness to lie to law enforcement.
He also was charged with violations of the Endangered Species Act and witness tampering. If convicted, he could face more than 30 years in prison total on all of the counts.
It was not immediately clear whether Hammonds had an attorney who could comment for him.
RELATED TOPICS:
Trump’s 3rd Week: More Executive Orders, a Trade War That Wasn’t, and a Mideast Jolt
7 hours ago
UMass Will Pay Student Who Made Half-Court Shot $10,000 Even Though His Foot Was on Line
8 hours ago
Judge Blocks Trump From Placing Thousands of USAID Workers on Leave
9 hours ago
Federal Judge Blocks Musk’s DOGE From Accessing Sensitive Treasury Department Data
9 hours ago
Rookies for Eagles and Chiefs Could Play a Key Role in the Super Bowl
9 hours ago
Sony PlayStation Network Outage Enrages Gamers Around the World
9 hours ago
Trump Says He’s Firing Kennedy Center Board Members, Naming Himself Chairman
9 hours ago
PJ Pickles, the Pajama-Clad Pup, Want to Join Your Loving Home
10 hours ago
Westminster Show’s Canine Athletes Compete on Super Bowl Weekend
6 minutes ago
Categories

Westminster Show’s Canine Athletes Compete on Super Bowl Weekend

Here’s What We Know About a Commuter Plane Crash in Alaska That Killed 10 People

Trump’s 3rd Week: More Executive Orders, a Trade War That Wasn’t, and a Mideast Jolt

UMass Will Pay Student Who Made Half-Court Shot $10,000 Even Though His Foot Was on Line

Judge Blocks Trump From Placing Thousands of USAID Workers on Leave

Federal Judge Blocks Musk’s DOGE From Accessing Sensitive Treasury Department Data
