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.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s investigation into Van Nostrand was chronicled in Brian Christy’s 2008 book “The Lizard King.”
In the most recent case, investigators say Van Nostrand and his company Strictly Reptiles ran the illegal operation from April 2017 through April 2019.
According to court records, a network of “collectors” captured mainly Florida three-stripe mud turtles (Kinosternon baurii).
“They then marketed and sold the turtles as ‘captive bred’ to both domestic and international customers to provide the appearance the turtles were legally obtained,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a news release.
About 3,500 of Florida fresh-water turtles were illegally acquired and sold, investigators said.
In addition to seven months in prison, Van Nostrand was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, the first year of which will be served in home confinement. Van Nostrand, who cannot deal in the wildlife trade while on supervised release, will also have to pay a $100,000 fine to the Lacey Act Reward Fund, which goes toward wildlife rehabilitation.
His attorneys had asked for probation and no prison time because of several medical conditions, records show.
Strictly Reptiles Inc. was given five years’ probation, a fine of $150,000 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund, and oversight by an independent monitor/auditor.
