Tahoe City Resident Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Injurious Amphibians into the United States

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Andrew Laughlin, 47, of Tahoe City, pleaded guilty today to one count of smuggling goods into the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Laughlin acted as a “middleman” in an international amphibian smuggling ring. In a conversation with an undercover agent, Laughlin admitted that he participated in the ring in order to acquire hard-to-find newts. He shipped or received at least four packages of amphibians, including packages to or from individuals located in Hong Kong and Sweden. The packages were falsely labeled as items including a “toy car,” “rubber toys,” or “a ceramic art piece.” In reality, the boxes contained live animals including Eastern Box turtles, spotted turtles, fire belly newts, Asian warty newts, and newts native to California. Certain of the defendant’s shipments contained injurious species prohibited from being imported into the United States because their introduction could harm the ecosystems and natural resources of the United States. A search warrant executed on the defendant’s residence uncovered 81 live newts of various species. Some seized newts tested positive for Bd, a virulent fungi which originated in Asia and is spread through the illegal pet trade. Scientists estimate that Bd has caused significant declines in the populations of more than 500 species, more than 90 of which are presumed extinct.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon is prosecuting the case.

Laughlin is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Oct. 7, 2024. Under the plea agreement, Laughlin agrees to pay restitution for the costs of caring for and testing the seized newts. He also agrees as part of his plea agreement to undertake a voluntary public education campaign at his kayaking store about the harms of illegal amphibian trafficking. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Several of the newts seized via search warrant from Laughlin’s residence.