A Brunswick man
pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to acquiring loggerhead sea turtle
eggs.
Acquiring, receiving
or transporting loggerhead sea turtle eggs is in violation of the Lacey Act, which
protects the endangered sea turtles species under federal law.
Lewis Jackson Sr.,
58, pleaded guilty to charges that in May 2012 he took over 150 loggerhead sea
turtle eggs from nests on Sapelo Island.
When the nests were seized from Jackson, the loggerhead eggs were packaged in a way that they
could be sold, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern
District of Georgia. Sea turtle eggs can go for as $15 per egg on the
black market.
Jackson faces
a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. His
sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
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