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Man sentenced for buying, selling elephant tusks

Posted at 1:24 PM, May 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-20 06:46:47-04

A Franklinville man must pay a $30,000 fine for illegally buying and selling elephant tusks.

Federal prosecutors say Ferdinand Krizan, 78, bought tusks from an auction house in Canada and shipped them to the United States over the Rainbow Bridge, violating the Endangered Species Act.

Investigators say Krizan also illegally trafficked other protected wildlife totaling more than $140-thousand. Those items included a Narwhal tusk, a hippo ivory carving, an elephant ivory musician carving, and one carved coral figurine.

As part of the plea, the defendant must also surrender approximately 100 pieces of elephant ivory carvings.