Beaufort man pleads guilty to illegally importing, selling sperm whale teeth and bones
A Beaufort man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to charges related to illegally trafficking endangered sperm whale bones and teeth.
Lauren DeLoach, age 69, was charged under the Lacey Act, the county's oldest wildlife protection law, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to documents filed in the U.S. District Court, Beaufort Division. As part of a plea agreement, the local artist and fossil hunter admitted to illegally importing, possessing and selling sperm whale teeth and bones.
Violations of the Lacey Act carry up to a 5-year prison term and a maximum fine of $250,000. The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits importing marine mammals except for a limited number of educational and research related situations. Violating the act calls for a maximum of one year in prison, according to documents associated with the case. The sentencing date is not yet set.
DeLoach declined to comment following the proceeding. His lawyer Nathan Williams said DeLoach made a mistake but is looking to put the incident behind him.
Sperm whales are the largest species of toothed whale and have been listed as an endangered species since 1970, according to the National Wildlife Federation. People collect the whale's teeth and bones for use as decorations and as a painting or scrimshaw medium, according to documents filed in the case. A single tooth can sell for hundreds of dollars.
The investigation revealed DeLoach imported sperm whale and teeth from countries including Australia, Norway, Ukraine and Latvia. Further investigation found that DeLoach then proceeded to sell the teeth and bones on eBay, according to statements made by Elle Klein, assistant United States attorney for the district of South Carolina, during the hearing. In total, the number of sperm whale teeth and bones DeLoach sold on the site totaled over $18,000.
The investigation began when officials at the John F. Kennedy International Airport opened a package from Norway addressed to DeLoach. While the 10 teeth inside the package were labeled as plastic, further analysis by an official with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found the teeth were in fact sperm whale teeth, according to statements Klein made during the hearing.
Further investigation found that DeLoach had instructed overseas suppliers to label the packages containing the teeth and bone as plastic to avoid seizure by U.S. authorities. A search warrant executed on his residence found $20,000 worth of sperm whale parts.
It is unclear when DeLoach began trafficking the sperm whale bones and teeth, but the plea agreement filed in district court states that he was engaged in the process by at least September 2021 and continued until September 2024.
While the sperm whale population was once 1.1 million strong, industrial whaling practices in the 19th century decimated the population in pursuit of whale oil, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Today the population stands at around 300,000, and still face risks due to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.
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