VALDOSTA, Ga. — A reptile dealer has been ordered to serve time in a federal prison for shipping venomous snakes and turtles from his Valdosta home to China. The U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia had accused 35-year-old Ashtyn Michael Rance of violating the Lacey Act and for unlawfully possessing guns.
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Rance pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2021 to one count of violating the Lacey Act, trafficking and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to serve 33 months on each count, followed by three years of supervised release and a $4,300 fine by District Court Judge Hugh Lawson.
The judge also said Rance will be prohibited from possessing or selling wildlife while under supervised release. He will not be eligible for parole because it is not offered in the federal system.
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Court documents said Rance admitted that on Feb. 22, 2018, he shipped three eastern box turtles and 16 spotted turtles from Valdosta to a customer in Florida in a box labeled as containing tropical fish and lizards. Investigators said Rance was paid $3,000 for the turtles and knew they were being sent to China.
They said Rance also admitted that on May 10, 2018, he sent 15 Gaboon vipers from Valdosta to Florida. The snakes were allegedly worth $900 and were going to be forwarded to a buyer in China, according to the court paperwork. Investigators also said Rance had illegally imported 100 vipers and other venomous snakes from Africa to a location in Atlanta.
He reportedly got a special permit to send the snakes out of the state, but came back to Valdosta and held on to 16 of the snakes.
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The investigation was part of a multi-agency effort called “Operation Middleman.” Investigators said Rance was on their radar because they were able to track him selling the reptiles in violation of Georgia laws. The Lacey Act is a federal wildlife tracking statute that prohibits the transporting of wildlife in interstate commerce if the wildlife is illegal under state laws. It’s also a violation to falsely label a package containing wildlife.
Authorities said Rance admitted to them that he had a Bushmaster Carbine .223 caliber rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun at his Valdosta home despite being barred from owning them due to his status as a convicted felon.
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