A McComb resident, Jeffery Budziszewski, 66, was sentenced to one year of federal probation and fined $3,000 after being found guilty of violating federal wildlife laws. The sentencing took place on January 8, 2026.
Court documents state that Budziszewski possessed and sold three-toed box turtles in violation of Mississippi law. He exported the turtles to New York, where they were repackaged and then shipped to China. These actions violated the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits exporting or transporting wildlife in interstate or foreign commerce if it is taken or sold in violation of state or foreign law.
Three-toed box turtles are native to the Mississippi River Valley and face risks due to illegal trade and other factors. Under Mississippi regulations, these turtles are considered in need of management. It is unlawful to sell or transport them for profit without a valid commercial captive propagation permit. Authorities said Budziszewski propagated and sold the turtles without this required permit between June and July 2020.
United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger stated: “My office is firmly committed to safeguarding America’s wildlife. The illegal trafficking of three-toed box turtles is precisely the kind of conduct the Lacey Act was designed to prevent. We will continue to enforce the Lacey Act and ensure that those who exploit protected wildlife, undermine conservation efforts, and place profit over the rule of law are held fully accountable.”
Doug Ault, Assistant Director with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Office of Law Enforcement added: “Three-toed box turtles are an important part of Mississippi’s natural heritage, and their removal for illegal trade puts the species at serious risk while undermining conservation efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to pursue every link in these trafficking networks to protect vulnerable species from further decline. We will not allow profiteering to jeopardize our native wildlife.”
The case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted.
