Latest news with #Dafar
USA Today
22-04-2025
- USA Today
Man sentenced in California for trafficking spider monkeys: 'Disrupted fragile ecosystems'
Man sentenced in California for trafficking spider monkeys: 'Disrupted fragile ecosystems' 'This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety,' US Attorney Adam Gordon said. Show Caption Hide Caption New evidence suggests dinosaurs were less clever than monkeys A controversial study proposing dinosaurs rivaled monkeys in intelligence is now under scrutiny. unbranded - Newsworthy A Texas man will spend months in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking six endangered spider monkeys, according to federal prosecutors. Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on April 18 to four months in federal prison and ordered to pay $23,501.70 in restitution to cover the cost of quarantining three of the trafficked monkeys in California, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California said in a news release. According to a charging document obtained by USA TODAY, Dafar used the alias 'Sam Scorpio' to conduct the trafficking and paid others involved at least $6,400 for the monkeys. 'This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks,' said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon in the release. 'This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety.' Since he pleaded guilty, Dafar was ordered to turn himself in on or before May 29, according to the U.S. attorney's office. How did investigators find out about Sarmad Dafar? The crime was discovered on Aug. 14, 2023, when Dafar's co-conspirator tried to smuggle the three undeclared monkeys into the U.S. at the Calexico West port of entry, the charging document says. An inspector stopped the operation and found the three monkeys — two girls and a boy — in a black bag, per the court document. The co-conspirator told authorities that Dafar was supposed to pay him $2,700 each for the three monkeys. Officials searched the co-conspirator's phone and found evidence that the monkeys were being smuggled for Dafar, according to the charging document. Investigators also found evidence that it wasn't the first time Dafar had arranged the smuggling of Mexican spider monkeys. He had previously smuggled three of them into the U.S. in June 2022 and July 2023, although authorities do not know what happened to the monkeys during those incidents, the court document says. Facebook messages helped prosecute Sarmad Dafar Prosecutors used Dafar's Facebook messages as evidence in the case, according to the U.S. attorney's office. In June 2022, Dafar sent a Facebook message to a potential customer and said he had a baby monkey arriving in two weeks. He told the customer that someone would be sending him the monkey from California, and that while the monkeys go for $15,000, he'd sell it for $8,000, according to the charging document. Dafar had one of the monkeys under a heat lamp in one photo, suggesting that he knew the baby monkey he was selling had been prematurely taken from its mother, the court document says. He was arrested on April 3, 2024, in Texas, and then U.S. Marshals took him to California, the court document shows. Spider monkeys now safe in new home The three monkeys that Dafar tried to smuggle into the U.S. in June 2022 and July 2023 were not quarantined, the U.S. attorney's office said. Quarantine is required by law to prevent potential diseases from spreading, prosecutors said. In cases such as these, Gordon said smuggling animals into the country can lead to 'dangerous diseases' such as Ebola, Marburg, monkeypox, and simian immunodeficiency virus. To quarantine the monkeys seized in August 2023, the animals were sent to the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center in Escondido, about 40 minutes away from the San Diego Zoo, a spokesperson for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance told USA TODAY on April 22. After quarantining, the monkeys found a permanent home at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois as part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Wildlife Confiscations Network, prosecutors said. The Brookfield Zoo said the animals arrived 'malnourished and traumatized,' and were rehabilitated for 18 months and have recovered well. While zoo visitors can't see them yet, guests will be able to see them this summer, when the zoo opens its new primate exhibit, Tropical Forests. Mexican spider monkeys are an endangered, protected species, according to the Brookfield Zoo. Spider monkeys were taken from multiple mothers who were likely hurt in the process, prosecutors say Wildlife experts in California conducted genetic tests and proved that the three Mexican spider monkeys all had different mothers. Their exams also found that the monkeys were 6 to 8 weeks old when they were brought to the U.S, per court documents. The monkeys nurse throughout the first year of their lives, prosecutors said in a news release. Typically, they are not fully independent until they reach 2 years old, and most baby Mexican spider monkeys will stay with their mothers until they are 4 years old. U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents testified in Dafar's case and said Mexican spider monkey mothers will not give their babies up willingly. They are part of troops, and these troops of spider monkeys defend mothers and their babies from threats, prosecutors said, quoting wildlife officials. To pry the babies away from their mothers, poachers often kill or incapacitate the mothers and their troops, prosecutors said in the release. According to wildlife experts, over 50,000 live animals were seized or abandoned at U.S. ports of entry between 2015 and 2019, and spider monkey confiscations are rising. Traffickers often target spider monkeys because they are small, and they are viewed as 'exotic pets,' the Brookfield Zoo said. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man sentenced for smuggling baby spider monkeys into US
HOUSTON (WJW) – A Texas man was sentenced to prison for smuggling six baby Mexican spider monkeys into the United States, prosecutors announced on Monday. Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, of Houston, was sentenced in federal court to four months in custody and 180 days on house arrest for trafficking the protected animals, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of California. Court documents said Dafar coordinated buying and smuggling the monkeys across the border to try to sell them in the U.S. The investigation started in August 2023, when officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stopped three baby spider monkeys from being smuggled into the U.S. by an accomplice at the Calexico West Port of Entry. Investigators search the accomplice's phone and discovered that the monkeys, only weeks-old, were being smuggled for Dafar, the attorney's office said. According to court documents, evidence in the case also revealed that Dafar arranged for three other baby monkeys to be smuggled from Mexico in June 2022 and July 2023. Investigators said it's unclear what happened to those monkeys. Firefighters, community mourning loss of Lt. Paul Mickolick — how you can help his family Investigators also found Facebook messages that Dafar sent to a potential buyer in 2022, reading, 'I have monkey coming in 2 week baby monkey…Is a spider monkey… [I'll] let you know when it is here because they gonna send it to me from California.' In the Facebook messages, Dafar told the potential buyer that spider monkeys normally sell for $15,000, 'but I ask 8k,' according to the attorney's office. He also attached a photo of a baby monkey in a cage under a heat lamp, court documents said. The three rescued monkeys were taken to the San Diego Zoo, where they needed to be quarantined to prevent the spread of potential diseases like Ebola and Mpox, investigators said. Zoo officials learned that those monkeys all came from different mothers. Dafar was also ordered to pay more than $23,000 in restitution to cover the cost of quarantining and caring for the animals. 'This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species and posed significant public health risks,' U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said. 'This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety. Border security is not just about interdicting drugs and preventing illegal entries. It also involves protecting the public from dangerous diseases. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributes to securing our borders and keeping the public safe.' Walgreens settles allegations around opioid prescriptions for $300M: DOJ The three monkeys, later named Chrissy, Jack and Janet, now live with other rescued primates at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Brookfield Zoo officials spoke out about the rescue in February, stating that, 'these endangered primates were separated from their mothers—who were likely killed during their capture—and arrived at rescue facilities malnourished and traumatized.' Zoo officials went on say the spider monkeys are recovering remarkably and guests will be able to meet them this summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
21-04-2025
- Miami Herald
Fragile baby spider monkeys ‘ripped' from mothers, brought to SoCal. Trafficker sentenced
A Texas man was busted for trafficking vulnerable Mexican baby spider monkeys, who were too young to be separated from their mothers, into San Diego and selling them on Facebook. Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, was recently sentenced to four months in custody and 180 days of home confinement for trafficking six of the young primates, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents uncovered his crimes in 2023 when they intercepted three baby Mexican spider monkeys that had been smuggled across the border in Calexico by someone working for him, prosecutors said. Not only is it illegal to own primates as pets in California, but it's also especially frowned upon to possess baby spider monkeys. The species is endangered, and infants require constant, skilled care to survive. "This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks," said U.S. Atty. Adam Gordon in a statement Friday. After officials seized the three monkeys in August 2023, they searched the smuggler's phone and found messages indicating that he was bringing the animals across the border for Dafar. In his plea agreement, Dafar admitted to coordinating the trafficking of baby spider monkeys, receiving them in the U.S. and arranging their sale. The three confiscated monkeys - named Chrissy, Jack and Janet - were temporarily quarantined at the San Diego Zoo. As part of his sentence, Dafar was ordered to pay more than $23,500 in restitution for the cost of their quarantine. The monkeys have since been permanently housed at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, alongside two other baby spider monkeys, named Frankee and Bucees, who were seized in a separate Southwest border smuggling case, prosecutors aid. During the investigation, officials discovered Dafar had previously smuggled and sold at least three other baby Mexican spider monkeys, in June 2022 and July 2023. Their whereabouts are unknown. These three additional monkeys were not quarantined, which is required by law to prevent deadly diseases - such as Ebola, Marburg and mpox - from spreading from primates to humans, prosecutors said. "This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety," said Gordon. "Border security is not just about interdicting drugs and preventing illegal entries. It also involves protecting the public from dangerous diseases." The investigation indicated that Dafar intentionally trafficked baby spider monkeys, despite the risk of separating them from their mothers, because he believed they were easier to hide. When a Facebook user sent Dafar a news article about spider monkeys seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents, he responded, "He stupid brin[g] to[o] many of them and all adults they make a lot noise and they active. Baby's most be sleeping and small to hide," according to court documents. Dafar messaged potential customers on Facebook and sent photos of baby spider monkeys in diapers and under a heat lamp, both signs indicating that the primates are too young to survive on their own, prosecutors said. Spider monkey typically nurse for their first two years of life, and most will stay close to their mothers until they are 4 years old. Their mothers are protective, and the entire troop will work together to defend the baby in the face of a threat, according to testimony from U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents. As a result, poachers will often kill the mother and troop when trying to capture babies. Genetic testing of Chrissy, Jack and Janet indicated that they all had separate mothers, meaning it is possible that poachers killed many monkeys to capture them. Dafar has been ordered to surrender on or before May 29, prosecutors said. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Yahoo
Fragile baby spider monkeys 'ripped' from mothers, brought to SoCal. Trafficker sentenced
A Texas man was busted for trafficking vulnerable Mexican baby spider monkeys, who were too young to be separated from their mothers, into San Diego and selling them on Facebook. Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, was recently sentenced to four months in custody and 180 days of home confinement for trafficking six of the young primates, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents uncovered his crimes in 2023 when they intercepted three baby Mexican spider monkeys that had been smuggled across the border in Calexico by someone working for him, prosecutors said. Not only is it illegal to own primates as pets in California, but it's also especially frowned upon to possess baby spider monkeys. The species is endangered, and infants require constant, skilled care to survive. 'This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks,' said U.S. Atty. Adam Gordon in a statement Friday. Read more: A Rolls-Royce Ghost, a spider monkey in a onesie and weed: CHP makes an unusual stop After officials seized the three monkeys in August 2023, they searched the smuggler's phone and found messages indicating that he was bringing the animals across the border for Dafar. In his plea agreement, Dafar admitted to coordinating the trafficking of baby spider monkeys, receiving them in the U.S. and arranging their sale. The three confiscated monkeys — named Chrissy, Jack and Janet — were temporarily quarantined at the San Diego Zoo. As part of his sentence, Dafar was ordered to pay more than $23,500 in restitution for the cost of their quarantine. The monkeys have since been permanently housed at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, alongside two other baby spider monkeys, named Frankee and Bucees, who were seized in a separate Southwest border smuggling case, prosecutors aid. During the investigation, officials discovered Dafar had previously smuggled and sold at least three other baby Mexican spider monkeys, in June 2022 and July 2023. Their whereabouts are unknown. These three additional monkeys were not quarantined, which is required by law to prevent deadly diseases — such as Ebola, Marburg and mpox — from spreading from primates to humans, prosecutors said. 'This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety," said Gordon. "Border security is not just about interdicting drugs and preventing illegal entries. It also involves protecting the public from dangerous diseases." The investigation indicated that Dafar intentionally trafficked baby spider monkeys, despite the risk of separating them from their mothers, because he believed they were easier to hide. When a Facebook user sent Dafar a news article about spider monkeys seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents, he responded, "He stupid brin[g] to[o] many of them and all adults they make a lot noise and they active. Baby's most be sleeping and small to hide," according to court documents. Read more: OnlyFans, trafficking and drug dealers: How a jaguar cub wound up in a California suburb Dafar messaged potential customers on Facebook and sent photos of baby spider monkeys in diapers and under a heat lamp, both signs indicating that the primates are too young to survive on their own, prosecutors said. Spider monkey typically nurse for their first two years of life, and most will stay close to their mothers until they are 4 years old. Their mothers are protective, and the entire troop will work together to defend the baby in the face of a threat, according to testimony from U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents. As a result, poachers will often kill the mother and troop when trying to capture babies. Genetic testing of Chrissy, Jack and Janet indicated that they all had separate mothers, meaning it is possible that poachers killed many monkeys to capture them. Dafar has been ordered to surrender on or before May 29, prosecutors said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
21-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Fragile baby spider monkeys ‘ripped' from mothers, brought to SoCal. Trafficker sentenced
A Texas man was busted for trafficking vulnerable Mexican baby spider monkeys, who were too young to be separated from their mothers, into San Diego and selling them on Facebook. Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, was recently sentenced to four months in custody and 180 days of home confinement for trafficking six of the young primates, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents uncovered his crimes in 2023 when they intercepted three baby Mexican spider monkeys that had been smuggled across the border in Calexico by someone working for him, prosecutors said. Not only is it illegal to own primates as pets in California, but it's also especially frowned upon to possess baby spider monkeys. The species is endangered, and infants require constant, skilled care to survive. 'This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks,' said U.S. Atty. Adam Gordon in a statement Friday. After officials seized the three monkeys in August 2023, they searched the smuggler's phone and found messages indicating that he was bringing the animals across the border for Dafar. In his plea agreement, Dafar admitted to coordinating the trafficking of baby spider monkeys, receiving them in the U.S. and arranging their sale. The three confiscated monkeys — named Chrissy, Jack and Janet — were temporarily quarantined at the San Diego Zoo. As part of his sentence, Dafar was ordered to pay more than $23,500 in restitution for the cost of their quarantine. The monkeys have since been permanently housed at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, alongside two other baby spider monkeys, named Frankee and Bucees, who were seized in a separate Southwest border smuggling case, prosecutors aid. During the investigation, officials discovered Dafar had previously smuggled and sold at least three other baby Mexican spider monkeys, in June 2022 and July 2023. Their whereabouts are unknown. These three additional monkeys were not quarantined, which is required by law to prevent deadly diseases — such as Ebola, Marburg and monkeypox — from spreading from primates to humans, prosecutors said. 'This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety,' said Gordon. 'Border security is not just about interdicting drugs and preventing illegal entries. It also involves protecting the public from dangerous diseases.' The investigation indicated that Dafar intentionally trafficked baby spider monkeys, despite the risk of separating them from their mothers, because he believed they were easier to hide. When a Facebook user sent Dafar a news article about spider monkeys seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents, he responded, 'He stupid brin[g] to[o] many of them and all adults they make a lot noise and they active. Baby's most be sleeping and small to hide,' according to court documents. Dafar messaged potential customers on Facebook and sent photos of baby spider monkeys in diapers and under a heat lamp, both signs indicating that the primates are too young to survive on their own, prosecutors said. Spider monkey typically nurse for their first two years of life, and most will stay close to their mothers until they are 4 years old. Their mothers are protective, and the entire troop will work together to defend the baby in the face of a threat, according to testimony from U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents. As a result, poachers will often kill the mother and troop when trying to capture babies. Genetic testing of Chrissy, Jack and Janet, indicated that they all had separate mothers, meaning it is possible that poachers killed many monkeys to capture them. Dafar has been ordered to surrender on or before May 29, prosecutors said.
