A Clackamas woman was sentenced in U.S. federal court on Monday for illegally importing leopard skins from Africa two years ago, according to the Department of Justice.
Anna Goyda, 27, imported three leopard skins from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007, violating the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
The Clackamas woman purchased the three skins for about $1,600 at market while in the Congo, then asked a colleague to send them to Oregon for her, said the office of Karin J. Immergut, U.S. Attorney for Oregon.
DHL Express was supposed to send the skins to Clackamas; however, the box was mixed with one headed to Heineken Brewery in the Netherlands. Heineken received the leopard skins and Goyda received a box of Heineken bottle caps, investigators said. When Heineken discovered the leopard skins it alerted customs agents, who in turn notified U.S. authorities.
Goyda pleaded guilty in March to violating federal law that protects threatened species from exploitation. Leopards are protected under the U.S. law.
She will serve two years of probation, perform 250 hours of community service and make a $500 community service payment to the Oregon Endangered Species Act Justice Fund, which is administered by the Oregon Zoo.
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