The American head of a Europe-based small cat organization has pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally selling and transporting two endangered Asian leopard cats to Miami.
At the time of his arrest, David G. Sparandara was director of the Czech Republic-based organization European-American Consortium for Small Felines. Authorities said Sparandara shipped one Asian leopard cat through Miami International Airport in January 2005.
Another Asian leopard cat that he tried to ship through the Miami airport in December 2005 was intercepted and submitted to federal authorities. Investigators learned that proper Endangered Species Act permits were not in order for the transactions.
Paperwork showed that the first Asian leopard cat was being sold to an importer for more than $4,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Sparandara could receive as many as five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and an order of restitution at his July 20 sentencing.