Historic Bird Trafficking Case Concludes with Record Fines and Sentencing

John Waldrop and Toney Jones face legal penalties for smuggling protected birds and eggs, marking the largest bird mount seizure in U.S. history.

John Waldrop was fined $900,000 and sentenced to three years of probation, one of the largest penalties ever under the Endangered Species Act.
Toney Jones, Waldrop's accomplice, received six months of probation for facilitating the illegal smuggling operation.
The investigation uncovered Waldrop's collection of 1,401 taxidermy bird mounts and 2,594 eggs, including species protected by multiple conservation laws.
Waldrop and Jones used online platforms like eBay and Etsy to illegally import specimens from over a dozen countries between 2016 and 2020.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed this as the largest bird mount seizure in its 37-year history, highlighting the global impact of wildlife trafficking.