Pacifican James Dickson Pleads Guilty to Felony: Selling Stuffed Endangered Animals on Craigslist

A Pacifica man has pleaded guilty in federal court to selling taxidermy mounts of a Siberian tiger, polar bear, a bald eagle and other endangered animals on Craigslist. James Dickson, 57, entered the plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco to a felony count of illegal trade of protected wildlife. He could face up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced July 12 by Judge William Alsup.

Dickson admitted that he sold a mounted American bald eagle to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service undercover agent for $2,200 in cash in November 2009. The sale came a month after the agent contacted Dickson, inquiring about a Craigslist ad Dickson had placed offering a stuffed polar bear for $6,500.

"When asked about purchasing the polar bear, Mr. Dickson explained that it was illegal to have a polar bear in the United States," federal prosecutors said. "At the time, Mr. Dickson also tried to sell the agent a black bear mount and further explained that it was also illegal to sell the black bear and he could go to jail for doing so."

Dickson also admitted to selling or offering numerous other protected big game animals on Craigslist, including taxidermy mounts of a Kodiak bear for $14,000, a Siberian tiger for $15,000, a black bear for $3,800, the summer coat of a grizzly bear for $4,500, the shoulder mount of a grizzly bear for $2,500, a cheetah rug for $900 and a stuffed black panther for $4,500.

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California Penal Code § 689, Requisites for Conviction
No person can be convicted of a public offense unless by verdict of a jury, accepted and recorded by the court, by a finding of the court in a case where a jury has been waived, or by a plea of guilty.

Comments

[John Maybury]

California Penal Code § 689, Requisites for Conviction: No person can be convicted of a public offense unless by verdict of a jury, accepted and recorded by the court, by a finding of the court in a case where a jury has been waived, or by a plea of guilty.

[Bruce Hotchkiss]

Maybe it is about time for Craigslist to stop allowing ads for illegal products and services. Then on the other hand at least the cops know where to go to look for hookers, dopers, and all things illegal.

[todd bray]

Aw, how sweet is that? You two...cutie-pies!! I wanna pinch your cheeks!!

[Camden]

He's pleaded guilty. He has not been convicted. Here's the story I ran on it a few days ago: http://pacifica.patch.com/articles/pacifica-man-pleads-guilty-to-illegal-sale-of-stuffed-bald-eagle

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Camden Swita for catching the mistaken headline, which we picked up from SF Gate and used when posting the story last night. We have corrected our headline, and we urge Camden to point out the error to SF Gate. We all need to remember that a guilty plea is not the same as a conviction: innocent until PROVEN guilty.)