A former wildlife professor is on trial for violating the Lacey Act, in addition to charges of wire fraud and witness tampering.
The Lacey Act makes it illegal to transport, sell, acquire or purchase fish or wildlife taken or transported in violation of United States, state or foreign law. The act also prohibits the importing of wild or injurious animals, falsification of documents for most wildlife shipments and failure to mark wildlife shipments.
Mark Johnson, a former wildlife professor and researcher at the LSU AgCenter’s Idlewild Experimental Station, was indicted last spring on various charges relating to his work with deer.
Johnson is accused of persuading a veterinarian to falsify documents to identify six of his privately-owned deer as part of LSU’s herd. Johnson then allegedly sold the six deer, as well as two LSU deer, to buyers in Florida and Wisconsin.
After the purchase, Johnson is accused of neglecting to report the transaction or relinquish the proceeds.
Michael Groves, the School of Veterinary Medicine dean, said the Vet School became involved with issues of needing to have a health certificate to move deer.
Groves said he received a subpoena related to the trial, but it would not have been necessary to receive information.
“It’s not like we were trying to withhold anything,” Groves said. “If he would have asked for copies of the information, we would have said ‘sure.'”
Groves said the health certificate basically just certifies that the animals are suitably healthy.
In addition, Groves said there has been considerable debate among state politicians over the ownership of domestic deer.
However, Groves said he did not want to make judgments on the situation since he does not know Johnson.
Calls to the Idlewild Research Station and the University’s School of Renewable Natural Resources were directed to Frankie Gould, the communications director for the LSU AgCenter.
Gould said she was unable to comment on pending litigation.