A man who insisted a suspicious bulge in his trousers was 'all him' is now confronting a potential 20-year prison sentence after border guards discovered the bizarre truth: two heavily sedated, critically endangered parakeets.
The Unusual Border Stop
Jesse Agus Martinez, a 35-year-old American, was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents at the Mexico-US border on October 23. The incident occurred when officers noticed an unusual protrusion in the groin area of his clothing. Martinez initially claimed the bulge was simply his penis, but agents decided to investigate further.
Upon closer inspection, the officials found two small brown bags concealed within the man's underwear. Inside these bags were two rare orange-fronted parakeets. According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office Southern District of California, the birds were both unconscious at the time of discovery.
Endangered Birds and a Flawed Plan
The green birds, classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, were found to be breathing but heavily sedated. Martinez later admitted he hid the birds because he lacked the correct paperwork to bring them legally into the United States.
Court records reveal that Martinez claimed the parakeets were his pets, given to him by his uncle in Mexico. His stated plan was to 'keep them in a shoe box in his van.' This was not his first attempt; he confessed to trying to bring a bird into the country in September, but customs officers caught him and confiscated a parrot he had concealed in a towel under his arm. That bird was subsequently euthanised.
Legal Consequences and Conservation Crisis
On Friday, Martinez, who resides in Tijuana, Mexico, was indicted on a federal smuggling charge. If convicted, he could face a maximum of 20 years behind bars and fines of up to £191,000.
The smuggled parakeets were initially treated by veterinarians, then quarantined, and are now reported to be in a stable condition. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has opened an investigation into the incident.
The case highlights the severe threat posed by the illegal pet trade. The orange-fronted parakeet, scientifically known as Eupsittula canicularis, is listed as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List. Between 1998 and 2008, over 8,000 of these birds were legally captured, making it the second-most sought-after parrot species in Mexico at the time. Although Mexico banned the parrot trade in 2008, illegal capturing continues, further endangering a species already threatened by habitat loss and degradation.
The US attorney’s office emphasised that imported wildlife must be quarantined before entry to prevent the spread of diseases, such as bird flu, which can infect humans and other animals.
