Va. man pleads guilty to illegal whale tooth imports

   Richard M. Ertel of Spotsylvania, Va. pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va. on Monday to the illegal import and trafficking of sperm whale teeth, the U.S. Justice Department said.   
   In specific, Ertel pleaded guilty to two felony violations of the Lacey Act for trading in endangered marine mammal parts. Sperm whales are classified as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.  
   It is illegal to import parts of sperm whale teeth into the United States without the requisite permits and certifications, and without declaring the merchandise at the time of import to U.S. Customs and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
   Sperm whale teeth are commonly used for scrimshaw and can garner large sums of money from collectors and tourists.
   As part of the plea, Ertel admitted that from April 2002 to June 2007, he was in the business of buying and selling sperm whale teeth that he purchased from sources in the Ukraine, and then sold to customers in Virginia and elsewhere in the United States. He admitted to conducting much of his business via the Internet.       
   Ertel could be sentenced up to five years in prison and fined up to $250,000 for each count. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2012, the Justice Department said.