Louisiana man cited for possessing endangered sea turtles

BATON ROUGE, La. – A Louisiana man has been cited caught with endangered sea turtle meat in his freezer.

The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says 61-year-old Lee H. Leger Jr. was cited Tuesday for possessing two green sea turtles. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service lists the species as threatened in the Gulf of Mexico. Penalties for violating the Endangered Species Act include a fine of up to $50,000 and a year in jail.

NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports agents acting on a tip found 20 pounds of turtle meat in the Golden Meadow man’s freezer. Agents say Leger admitted to cleaning two green sea turtles for meat.

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Information from: The Times-Picayune, http://www.nola.com