The Justice Department reported that a man from South Carolina admitted guilt for bringing in and selling sperm whale teeth and bones, which violates federal wildlife regulations.
Lauren H. DeLoach, aged 69 and residing in Saint Helena Island, confessed to bringing parts of sperm whales into South Carolina. The illegal imports consisted of at least 30 deliveries originating from Australia, Latvia, Norway, and Ukraine during the period spanning from 2021 through 2024, as reported by the source. Office of the U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Carolina Prosecutors stated that DeLoach directed suppliers to mark goods as "plastic" to evade U.S. customs detection and listed at least 85 items for sale on eBay.
In a raid conducted as part of a search warrant, law enforcement officers confiscated approximately $20,000 worth of products derived from sperm whales from DeLoach’s home. According to prosecutors, DeLoach confessed to having sold teeth and bones between July 2022 and September 2024.
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Sperm whales, safeguarded by the Endangered Species Act and various international accords, are coveted by poachers for their body parts and end up being traded in the black market. Lacey Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act The MMPA is implemented to safeguard endangered species, stated Brook B. Andrews, acting U.S. attorney for the District of South Carolina.
Wildlife smuggling constitutes a multibillion-dollar international industry that threatens endangered creatures and supports criminal organizations," Andrews stated. "We will keep enforcing the Lacey Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act to ensure that at-risk species such as the sperm whale do not get slaughtered and their parts traded illegally.
DeLoach could be sentenced to as many as five years behind bars and fined up to $250,000 due to the felony Lacey Act charge. Additionally, he may face up to one year in jail for violating the misdemeanor MMPA provision. The investigation was carried out by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement.
'Dedication to ensuring accountability for individuals who abuse wildlife under protection'
Nathan Williams, DeLoach's attorney, informed USA TODAY that DeLoach “is remorseful about his behavior and believes these acts do not reflect the generally fruitful life he has lived” and is eager “to put this matter in the past.”
U.S. District Judge David C. Norton approved DeLoach's admission of guilt and plans to determine the punishment for the man from South Carolina following an assessment by the U.S. Probation Office.
Doug Ault, who serves as the Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, stated that whales are particularly susceptible to unlawful hunting driven by commercial motivations.
Ault stated that the unlawful commerce involving sperm whale teeth and ear bones leads to the financial exploitation of vulnerable marine mammals, which are safeguarded under U.S. federal statutes and global agreements. This probe, as an element of 'Operation Raw Deal,' a comprehensive effort across the nation aimed at curbing the unauthorized trade of whale components, highlights our dedication to ensuring accountability for individuals who capitalize on endangered species for monetary gain.
Most recent event concerning safeguarded fauna
The case of DeLoach represents the most recent occurrence concerning safeguarded fauna to grab public attention.
In February 2025, authorities from California’s fish and wildlife department disclosed that three individuals had been found guilty and penalized for illegally possessing threatened and endangered species. The illegal activities came to light when two people reported these persons to undercover wildlife officers. illegally transporting the cranium of an endangered marine turtle on a flight.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, wildlife trafficking ranks as the fourth biggest organized criminal activity globally, following drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and human trafficking.
Contributor: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY
Reach out to journalist Krystal Nurse via email at knurse@Diwida. You can also follow her on X. @KrystalRNurse , and on BlueSky @krystalrnuse.bsky.social .
The article initially appeared on USA TODAY: A South Carolina man admits guilt for unlawfully selling sperm whale teeth and bones.
