A Davie man known as the Lizard King is going to federal prison again — this time for smuggling illegally harvested Florida turtles out of the United States and into China, Japan and other countries.
Last year, Michael Van Nostrand, 55, was charged with conspiracy to traffic illegal wildlife in interstate and foreign commerce after investigators say he snatched turtles from their natural habitats and sold them as “captive bred.” He pleaded guilty in Miami federal court in November.
In 1997, Van Nostrand was given eight months in federal prison after being convicted of importing wildlife without a valid permit and two counts of prohibited acts with an endangered species. He also had to pay a $7,500 fine.
