Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Wildlife Trafficking

BOSTON - A Reading, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking in wildlife parts from endangered and protected species.

Adam Bied, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to eight months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Bied was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine to fund wildlife enforcement efforts. In January 2026, Bied pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, specifically, illegally imported wildlife parts, and two counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in wildlife. The wildlife that Bied unlawfully imported and conspired to import was protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). None of the wildlife Bied imported was declared as required by law. Bied was charged in June 2024.

"Trafficking in the remains of endangered and protected animals is not a collector's hobby - it is a crime that fuels the exploitation of vulnerable species around the world," said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. "As the Department of Justice has made clear, protecting animal welfare and enforcing our wildlife laws is a priority. This defendant knowingly smuggled and profited from the killing of protected animals - some of which were slaughtered at his direction - undermining global conservation efforts. Today's sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message: those who traffic in wildlife will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

"Our agency works diligently to combat the illegal international trafficking of wildlife parts due to its devastating effect on a wide variety of vulnerable species," said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. "In their quest for quick profit, wildlife smugglers push critically endangered animals toward the edge of extinction and undermine global conservation efforts. Halting this illegal trade remains one of our highest priorities and together with the Department of Justice, we will bring those responsible to justice."

Beginning in at least January 2018 and continuing until at least June 2021, Bied bought, sold and traded in wildlife parts and products from threatened and endangered species knowing that many of the transactions violated U.S. laws and regulations, including the ESA and the Lacey Act. Bied also knowingly failed to declare the wildlife to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) upon importation into the United States.

Specifically, Bied placed orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia who were in the businesses of killing and acquiring wildlife, including endangered and protected species, received the parts in the United States unlawfully and then resold or traded the wildlife to customers in the United States.

In text messages, Bied and a co-conspirator in Cameroon (CC-1), a person Bied knew to be a poacher of native species, discussed hunting and killing wildlife. For example, in June 2018 when CC-1 told Bied that he was unable to obtain bullets for hunting wildlife due to the ongoing civil war, Bied offered to send him bullets. After CC-1 said he could go to jail if he is caught receiving ammunition during the ongoing civil war, Bied offered to send him money for bullets in exchange for skulls including, as they discussed, chimpanzee skulls. Bied also requested a gorilla skull. Both gorillas and chimpanzees are endangered, and most gorilla species are critically endangered. Bied also sought to purchase skulls from elephants, lions, hippos and other "rare" and "large animals."

Bied repeatedly instructed CC-1 not to send him skulls with bullet holes, writing "stop sending me skulls with holes" and "Just send me a lot of big skulls. Also no skulls with bullet holes." In various messages with CC-1, Bied referred to his customers, advising CC-1, "I need rare things for my customers."

Bied was aware of the laws protecting wildlife and governing wildlife importation and that it was illegal to trade in endangered and protected species. For example, on Dec. 26, 2019 Bied took photographs of an educational exhibit at a zoo about illegal wildlife trafficking, that prominently featured pangolins as the "most heavily trafficked wild mammal." Later that day, Bied texted CC-1, "I'd like to buy the pangolin skull - I'd like to buy this pangolin still." All subspecies of pangolins are protected under CITES.

Bied and his conspirator in Indonesia (CC-2) exchanged electronic messages about the acquisition, purchase, and sale of wildlife, and protected wildlife. Among other wildlife, Bied purchased multiple orangutans and Javan leopard skulls from CC-2. Both species are critically endangered.

Bied later sold two illegally imported leopard skulls to an undercover federal agent. During the negotiations over one skull, Bied lied about its origin, falsely claiming to the agent that the leopard skull was at least 60 years old, that he had purchased it at an auction, and that he believed the sale of this skull to be legal. In fact, the skull had been recently illegally imported from Indonesia. Bied neither sought nor obtained the necessary USFWS import/export licenses or CITES permits before importing these items, nor did he declare the wildlife to the USFWS upon import as required. Instead, Bied and his co-conspirators took steps to conceal the wildlife parts from U.S. authorities by falsely labeling them as "decorative masks" and "rodents," among other things. Bied unlawfully imported skulls from the following wildlife species, among others: baboon, chimpanzee, pangolin, orangutan and leopard.

Bied has consented to the civil forfeiture of over 100 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species seized by the USFWS in July 2021 from Bied's residence, storage unit and vehicle.

The wildlife parts identified in the civil forfeiture complaint include:

• Orangutan skulls
• Tiger skulls
• Leopard skin, skulls and a claw
• Jaguar skin and skull
• African lion skulls
• Polar bear skull
• Narwhal tusk
• Otter skeleton
• Harp seal skull
• Pangolin skull
• South American fur seal skull
• Elephant seal skull
• Babirusa skulls
• Mandrillus skulls
• Wallaby skull
• Jackal skull

Federal wildlife statutes and regulations prohibit international and illegal trade in vulnerable wildlife species. The ESA, the Lacey Act and CITES, as well as the accompanying regulations, prohibit the import, export, possession, transport, purchase and sale of protected species. The restrictions apply to live and dead wildlife specimens, as well as the skins, parts and products made in whole or in part from listed species. Additional documents are also required for wildlife protected by the CITES treaty, which regulates trade in endangered or threatened species through permit requirements.

The lawful importation of vulnerable wildlife species requires a CITES permit. The lawful importation of any foreign species requires a USFWS wildlife declaration. Individuals are also required to have a USFWS import/export license to import wildlife for commercial purposes.

U.S. Attorney Foley and USFWS Assistant Director Ault made the announcement. This case was worked jointly with the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division's Environmental Crimes Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Casey and Carol E. Head are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.