Plainclothes Wildlife Officers Bust Bragadocious Airline Passengers Smuggling Illegal Wildlife

A California couple learned a valuable lesson about discretion after boasting about their illegal hunting, smuggling, and taxidermy activities to undercover wildlife officers. On a flight bound for San Diego, a pair of California Department of Fish and Wildlife canine officers were treated to a unique and unsuspecting on-board experience. Dressed in plain clothes, the two officers overhead the passengers seated behind them discussing their hunting exploits and couldn’t resist egging them on for more details.

Engaging the couple into a conversation, the young couple eventually went on to disclose that they were carrying a sea turtle skull from the east coast hidden in their luggage. With the unsuspecting couple boastfully disclosing information, the officers prodded the couple for more. As the conversation progressed, they went on to unknowingly reveal to the officers that they had illegally killed a mountain lion and bragged about their close friend’s legendary taxidermy room that they stated contained multiple illegally taken mountain lions, a wolverine and multiple wolves.

In the event that the statement wasn’t enough, the couple went on to share a video of their close family members' trophy room with the officers where they got a first hand account of the taxidermied wildlife. 

Teeming with excitement for more proof of the couple’s exploits, as everyone deboarded the plane after it touched down in San Diego, officers asked if they could have a peek at the sea turtle skull. The suspects admitted that what they had hidden in their carry-on luggage was unlawfully possessed and told the plainclothes officers that they wanted to ensure they were out of sight of any TSA agents before revealing the skull.

Once they were away from any prying eyes, or so they thought, they revealed the skull of a green sea turtle to the traveling wildlife officers. Knowing full well that the skull was that of a federally listed endangered species which was illegal to possess and transport, the officers bid their newfound friends farewell, knowing full well that they’d see them sooner than the couple had ever anticipated.

Once the officers were back in their patrol districts, the officers quickly authored search warrants for the couple’s residence in Chico and the infamous family member’s residence in Napa County.

The officers' luck didn't stop at the airport. When they arrived at the young couple's residence to serve the warrant, they discovered their old friends processing a deer that had been illegally poached earlier that morning. Without any active seasons in the region or tags on hand, officers then descended on the residence where they uncovered illegally taken mountain lion claws, a ringtail cat, a barn owl mount, an illegal spike buck and several unlawfully taken deer with tagging violations. 

In California, it is illegal to possess mounted raptors and raptor parts without proper state and federal permits. Ringtail cats are also fully protected by law.

Meanwhile, things were beginning to heat up over at the family member’s house in Napa as well. As California wildlife officers tore things up at that residence, they discovered two illegal, full-bodied taxidermized mountain lions and one full-bodied taxidermized wolverine - another fully protected species in California which is illegal to possess.

Officers worked to gather up all of the unlawfully possessed animals, all of which were seized as evidence for the prosecution in Napa County, Butte County and in federal district court.

In Butte and Napa Counties, formal complaints were filed against Byron Lee Fitzpatrick (24 years old),Shannon Lee Price (28 years old), and Harry Vern Fitzpatrick (64 years old) for poaching crimes. These charges were brought by the respective district attorney's offices, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisting in the investigation and prosecution, specifically regarding the possession of a sea turtle skull, deer parts, and owl violations.

Plea Agreements and Convictions

• Butte County (January 30, 2025): Byron Lee Fitzpatrick and Shannon Lee Price were convicted of violating the Fish and Game Code. Fitzpatrick received a $1,865 fine and one-year probation, while Price received a $1,015 fine and one-year probation. Both are prohibited from hunting or being around those engaged in hunting, and all seized wildlife was forfeited.

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (April 23, 2024): Byron Lee Fitzpatrick and Shannon Lee Price were each fined $1,000 for violating federal wildlife regulations and laws.

• Napa County (February 15, 2024): Harry Vern Fitzpatrick was convicted of two counts of violating the Fish and Game Code, resulting in a $605 fine, six months probation, and the forfeiture of all unlawfully possessed and transported wildlife.

“This case exemplifies the unwavering preparedness and swift action demonstrated by our wildlife officers,” said CDFW Chief of Law Enforcement Nathaniel Arnold. “It highlights a broad spectrum of natural resource violations and underscores the critical role our officers play in safeguarding our resources, not only here in California but elsewhere throughout the country and abroad. These violations encompass the take of deer out of season and the illegal possession of taxidermy, including endangered and protected species. Like human and narcotics trafficking, wildlife trafficking of both live animals and animal parts is known to fund transnational criminal organizations and their violent activities all over the world. The individuals involved exhibited a flagrant disregard for laws governing natural resources and are now being held accountable for their actions.”