Two Dominican nationals have been sentenced for their involvement in smuggling juvenile American eels from Puerto Rico. Simón De la Cruz Paredes, 56, received a sentence of 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release on November 14. His accomplice, Saúl Enrique José De la Cruz, 39, was sentenced to the same term today by U.S. District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón.
The men spent several months harvesting juvenile American eels, known as glass eels, from rivers near Levittown, Puerto Rico. They maintained the eels' viability using an oxygenation system while constructing a boat to transport them back to the Dominican Republic. On February 21, they departed Puerto Rico with approximately 30 kilograms of glass eels and a handgun with 850 rounds of ammunition onboard. The intention was to sell the eels in the Dominican Republic before shipping them to Asia.
Their vessel was intercepted about 40 miles off Puerto Rico's coast by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). After refusing to stop their boat voluntarily, USCG had to disable its engines before arresting and indicting both men.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to charges related to smuggling under 18 U.S.C. § 554 and illegal wildlife trafficking under the Lacey Act. Additionally, Saúl Enrique José De la Cruz admitted guilt for failing to comply with a Coast Guard order.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim stated that "eels are a highly sought-after food source," especially in sushi production. He emphasized that illegal harvesting has severely impacted eel populations globally and affirmed that violators will face prosecution.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow highlighted the threat posed by illegal wildlife trafficking: “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to protect our natural resources." Paige Casey from NOAA noted that partnerships have been instrumental in successfully prosecuting such cases.
Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez of USCG Sector San Juan praised the convictions as evidence of "the collective and unwavering resolve" among U.S agencies against transnational smuggling activities targeting marine resources like juvenile American eels.
The investigation is led by NOAA and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service's law enforcement offices as part of an environmental crimes task force involving multiple agencies including USCG and U.S Customs and Border Protection.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M Duggan along with Assistant U.S Attorney Seth A Erbe are handling prosecution duties for this case.