NYC man pleads guilty to selling cougar head, other exotic animal parts to undercover investigator

A Pristine York Town guy has pleaded to blame to making an attempt to promote stopped wild animal portions, together with a cougar head. 

Usher Weiss, 26, met with an invisible investigator for the Pristine York Atmosphere Section of Environmental Conservation on Nov. 2, 2023, in keeping with a information let go from the branch. The 2 met at a basement in Brooklyn, the place Weiss gave the invisible investigator a cougar head mount for $900. Weiss additionally introduced a “full cheetah head mount” for $10,000, the scoop let go stated. 

Weiss and the investigator met a 2nd era in December, the place he passed the invisible investigator the cheetah head mount and more than one alternative animal remainder, together with the cranium of a obese cat, the outside of a seal domestic dog and a hen mount. 

Weiss additionally had a complete taxidermied alligator, a tiger pores and skin, a cheetah pores and skin and an elephant understructure, the scoop let go stated. 

Weiss used to be charged with violating environmental conservation regulations. He pleaded to blame on Thursday. 

As a part of his plea, Weiss should pay a $5,000 superb. He additionally needed to give up all extra contraband in his ownership. Weiss surrendered the taxidermied alligator, animal skins and elephant understructure to the Section of Environmental Conservation in April. He additionally surrendered alternative contraband, however the branch didn’t proportion main points of what it used to be.  

“We’re committed to stopping the illegal wildlife trade in our communities, and by prosecuting cases like this, we’re not just enforcing the law — we’re sending a strong message that protecting endangered species from harm is a priority,” District Legal professional Eric Gonzalez stated within the information let go.