CALIFORNIA — Donald Do pleaded not guilty in federal court in California to charges of illegally exporting 292 poached loggerhead musk turtles to Taiwan under false pretenses. A bond hearing in the case has been scheduled for May 21, 2024.

Do and an unidentified accomplice sought to export the turtles to Taiwan between December 2022 and May 2024, according to the charges. The accomplice obtained a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service export license, and Do received a federal permit to export the turtles under the false claim that they had been captive-bred. Under the Lacey Act, it is illegal to share false information about wildlife related to international or interstate commerce.

Do purchased turtles that had been poached from the wild in Florida and other locales, and sent instructions for the animals to be shipped to San Francisco. He also allegedly tried to buy 200 turtles from Albert Bazaar, a Louisiana man who has been taken into custody for turtle trafficking. Bazaar has been accused of poaching and selling more than 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles, a protected species.

The case is part of a Department of Justice operation called "Southern Hot Herps," which targeted turtle poachers in the southeastern United States. The operation focused on illegal trafficking of loggerhead musk turtles, which are classified as a protected species under federal law.

If convicted on the wildlife-trafficking charges, Do faces up to five years in prison. The bond hearing scheduled for May 21, 2024 will determine the conditions of Do's release pending trial.