Latest news with #SarmadGhaledDafar
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.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man sentenced for smuggling baby spider monkeys across U.S.-Mexico border
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — According to the Department of Justice, a Houston man was sentenced in federal court Friday for smuggling endangered baby Mexican spider monkeys into the United States. Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, was handed down a four-month stay in custody, followed by 180 days of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $23,501.70 in restitution for the cost of quarantining three of the trafficked monkeys at the San Diego Zoo. According to court records, Dafar orchestrated the illegal trafficking of six protected baby Mexican spider monkeys from Mexico to the U.S. between June 2022 and August 2023. He communicated with suppliers, arranged the smuggling, received the animals once they crossed the border, and offered them for sale via Facebook messages. His scheme began to be uncovered on Aug. 14, 2023, when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents intercepted three baby spider monkeys at the Calexico West Port of Entry. According to the DOJ, the monkeys were being smuggled into the U.S. by one of Dafar's coconspirators. A search of the smuggler's phone revealed communications, images and evidence linking the operation to Dafar. 'Not going to be great out there': Experts have candid advice for national park visitors Federal prosecutors revealed that Dafar specifically sought out baby monkeys to make smuggling easier, believing the smaller animals would be quieter and easier to conceal. In one Facebook exchange, Dafar commented on another smuggling bust, saying: '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.' Photos shared by Dafar, seen below, show just how young the animals were—some kept in cages under heat lamps, others dressed in diapers. In one message to a buyer, Dafar promoted the sale of a spider monkey for $8,000, noting that similar animals usually sell for $15,000 or more. Baby Mexican spider monkeys are classified as an endangered species, and wildlife experts say they are never willingly separated from their mothers. Capturing them often involves killing the mother and other members of the monkey troop that try to defend her and her baby. The three monkeys seized in August 2023 underwent genetic testing at the San Diego Zoo, which confirmed that each came from a different mother. '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. 'This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety.' According to prosecutors, the trafficking of primates poses serious public health concerns. Quarantine procedures are in place to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, monkeypox and simian immunodeficiency virus, which can transfer from primates to human. The DOJ said Dafar failed to follow those requirements. Following their seizure and quarantine, the three baby spider monkeys—now named Chrissy, Jack and Janet—were transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. They've since joined a group that includes Frankee and Bucees, two spider monkeys rescued from a separate border smuggling case. While these five have found safety and care, the fate of the other three monkeys trafficked by Dafar in 2022 and 2023 remains unknown, said the DOJ. Dafar is required to surrender to authorities by May 29, 2025, to begin serving his sentence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
