LOS ANGELES — A 30-year-old Oxnard, California, man was indicted Thursday on federal charges and accused of smuggling more than 1,700 reptiles into the U.S., hiding some animals in his clothing while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, prosecutors said.
Jose Manuel Perez was charged with two counts of wildlife trafficking, nine counts of smuggling goods into the U.S. and one count of conspiracy after allegedly transporting the animals for a black-market business.
His sister Stephany Perez, 25, was also charged with conspiracy.
