Chicago Criminal lawyer comments on the sad song sung over songbird smuggling

This Chicago Criminal lawyer wants to remind you that there are non-violent crimes that involve animals. Yes, I’ve been with my husband, complete with our fishing licenses in a host of states, because inevitably the “man” will want to check your license when you are in your waders and the license is a mile away back in the car. Somehow, I don’t think this gentleman expected the penalty to be quite so high for wanting a few pretty songs.

From the Docket of U.S. District Court Central District of California:

CR 2009-439-SVW U.S.A. vs. 2. Sony Dong BOND
VIETNAMESE INTERPRETER NEEDED
8-Ct Indictment: 18:371 CONSPIRACY; 18:545; 2(b)IMPORTING WILDLIFE CONTRARY TO LAW; CAUSING AN ACT TO BE
DONE; 18:542; 2(b) IMPORTING GOODS BY MEANS OF FALSE STATEMENT; CAUSING AN ACT TO BE
DONE;18:545;2(b)IMPORTING WILDLIFE CONTRARY TO LAW; CAUSING AN ACT TO BE DONE18:542; 2(b)IMPORTING
GOODS BY MEA9-9412
NS OF FALSE STATEMENT; CAUSING AN ACT TO BE DONE; 18:545;2(b)IMPORTING WILDLIFE CONTRARY TO LAW;
CAUSING AN ACT TO BE DONE; 18:542; 2(b) IMPORTING GOODS BY MEANS OF FALSE STATEMENT; CAUSING AN ACT
TO BE DONE
SENTENCING (Ct 7)
Mark A. Williams, AUSA x3359 2. Yasmin M. Cader, DFPD x7560

So what goods was Mr. Dong importing? It wasn’t guns, drugs, or any sort of human trafficking, no, no, no. It was songbirds. He could face up to 20 years in prison for smuggling songbirds into this country from Vietnam.