Alabama man sentenced in largest-ever taxidermy bird trafficking case after accepting packages for Georgia doctor

‘Obsessive’ stuffed endangered bird collector ducks jail, must pay $900K

An elderly orthopedic surgeon admitted his love of birds turned into a dark obsession, telling a Brooklyn judge that he’s done with collecting stuffed endangered species for good. John Waldrop, 76, of Georgia, amassed a staggering collection of 1,401 taxidermy mounts and 2,594 eggs, most of them through smuggling or unauthorized means, before federal authorities raided his roost and arrested him in 2023. On Wednesday, Brooklyn Federal Court Judg…

Alabama man sentenced in largest-ever taxidermy bird trafficking case after accepting packages for Georgia doctor

The New York judge sentenced Eufaula’s Toney Jones to six months of probation after he pleaded guilty last year to importing a stuffed protected bird of prey without notifying the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Alabama, Georgia men sentenced in largest bird mount trafficking case in history

From Tribune staff reports WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Brooklyn today sentenced two men for trafficking protected birds and eggs into the United States in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) resulting in the largest fine ever in a ESA case, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. Dr. John Waldrop of Cataula, Georgia, was ordered to pay a $900,000 fine — one of the largest-ever for an ESA case — and serve three…