PHOENIX, Ariz. — Raymond Anthony Rabago Montoya, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced Oct. 2 to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $3,000 to the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. His co-defendant and mother, Griselda Guadalupe Montoya-Gastelum, 50, of Sonora, Mexico, was previously sentenced July 8 to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Montoya-Gastelum pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act on April 25, and Rabago Montoya pleaded guilty to the same offense on April 26.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case.
“HSI plays a crucial role in combating wildlife trafficking, which is often linked to organized crime and corruption,” said HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola. “There are many challenges of combating wildlife trafficking. However, law enforcement agencies are stronger when we dedicate efforts to disrupting wildlife trafficking networks. HSI is committed to sustaining resources needed to tackle this ongoing global issue.”
Defendants coordinated the illegal importation of exotic and protected wildlife from Mexico, including tigers, panthers, monkeys and exotic parrots, into the United States, concealed through ports of entry, for financial gain.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began investigating the defendants in August 2022 after receiving a report from a person who believed that the four exotic parrots they had purchased from Rabago Montoya had been illegally imported. This report and further investigation led to the January 2023 execution of a search warrant at the home of Carlos Castro, where a tiger cub, an alligator, 12 snapping turtles, six tortoises, and boxes of other reptiles were found. Snapchat messages revealed that Montoya-Gastelum and Castro discussed illegal exotic animal sales and trades. Castro was subsequently convicted of unlawful sale of wildlife in the Arizona Superior Court in Maricopa County.
After federal agents observed advertisements for the sale of spider monkeys on Facebook, they conducted two undercover purchases of monkeys from the defendants for $6,000 each, one in April and one in May 2023. In June and August 2023, Rabago Montoya was encountered by law enforcement with dozens of endangered parrots concealed in his vehicle, many of which were deceased. The defendants were indicted Sept. 12, 2023, and arrested the following day.
“Once again we see Arizonans profiting from the concealment of contraband through the Nogales and Lukeville Ports of Entry,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “Here, in lieu of controlled substances we have mistreated protected animals, and the sentences imposed send strong messages both of deterrence and of the importance of robust environmental protections.”
“Wildlife trafficking is illegal and immoral, as countless animals that are taken from the wild are smuggled across borders in inhumane conditions,” said Edward Grace, assistant director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. “In the case of spider monkeys, many trafficked animals perish due to inadequate care, while those that survive face a life of captivity. We hope this case emphasizes that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners will continue to ensure that those engaged in wildlife trafficking are brought to justice.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Arizona in Phoenix Stuart Zander and Lisa Jennis handled the prosecution.