The 45th Criminal Court of the circuit of Bogotá, sentenced Manuel Augusto Hernández Ortiz to 2 years and 25 days in prison for trafficking in fauna along with damage to natural resources.
The 4th Specialized Prosecutor in environment said that during the hearing Hernandez Ortiz was found responsible for the traffic and sale of eagles in danger of extinction, turtles, monkeys, spiders, tarantulas and flamingos, which he negotiated from a front store located at some marketplaces of the capital.
The accusing authority explained that the investigation started in the second half of 2011 and after some monitoring labors, it was issued the arrest warrant against Manuel Augusto Hernández Ortiz who agreed the delivery of the fauna coming from the Atlantic coast and the Oriental region, through phone conversations.
The judge ordered a fine of 70 minimum legal monthly wages, but the offender obtained a conditional stay of execution.