Kin Keung Ho, of Staten Island, New York, pleaded guilty today for his role in trafficking turtles to Asia. Lihua Owen Ma, also of Staten Island, pleaded guilty to a similar charge on July 1.
According to documents filed in court, Ho and Ma were separately charged with exporting multiple species of U.S. native turtles, including eastern box turtles, western box turtles, three-toed box turtles, spotted turtles, and diamondback terrapins. The defendants each pleaded guilty to a Lacey Act felony and admitted they created false labels for the packages without having any of the required permits or declarations. Ho admitted he shipped numerous packages between June 1, 2024, and Nov. 13, 2025. During the plea hearing, the government proffered that Ho shipped approximately 99 packages containing 578 turtles. Ho falsely labeled the contents as containing crystals or stones. Ma acknowledged illegally exporting between May 25, 2021, and May 5, 2023.
Stock photo of spotted turtle. Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.These turtles species are prized in the international pet trade, particularly in China. All of the turtles are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which 185 governments, including the United States and China, are parties. CITES regulates trade in wildlife, fish, and plant species that are or may become threatened with extinction.
Stock photo of western box turtle. Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, creating false labels for wildlife shipped in international or interstate commerce. The maximum penalty is five years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the economic gain or loss. The court will schedule sentencing hearings at a later date.
Stock photo of diamondback terrapin. Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in Valley Stream, New York, investigated these cases with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the cases.
Updated July 23, 2026 Topic Wildlife Components Energy and Natural Resources Division ENRD - Environmental Crimes Section Press Release Number: 26-844
