Stockton Beekeeper Charged with Conspiring to Obtain and Promote Smuggled Unlawful Pesticides

Thursday, March 28, 2024

U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace, Japanese District of California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment right this moment towards Paulo Perez-Mendoza, 44, of Stockton, charging him with conspiring to obtain and promote smuggled pesticides into the US and the illegal distribution and sale of unregistered pesticides, U.S. Legal professional Phillip A. Talbert introduced.

In line with courtroom paperwork, between Jan. 1, 2019 and March 18, 2024, Perez recruited one other particular person to smuggle unlawful pesticides into the US from Mexico and ship them to Perez at his residential enterprise, Perez Era Honeybee Ranch, in Stockton. Between Sept. 9, 2020, and July 12, 2022, Perez bought the Mexican pesticides 1,000 to 1,500 liters at a time and paid a complete of roughly $476,680 for the banned product. Perez resold the pesticides to beekeepers in different states, together with Oregon, Washington, Georgia, and Florida.

Solely pesticides registered with the EPA could also be imported or bought in the US. They need to bear their EPA registration quantity on their labels, preceded by the phrase “EPA Registration No.” or “EPA Reg. No.” As well as, all required data on a label should seem within the English language. The pesticides concerned on this conspiracy have been primarily Taktic and Bovitraz, which comprise the lively ingredient amitraz at an emulsifiable focus of 12.5%, which, on this type, is an unregistered pesticide in the US.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Environmental Safety Company Legal Investigation Division with help from Homeland Safety Investigations and the Meals and Drug Administration Workplace of Legal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Legal professional Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Perez is scheduled for arraignment. If convicted of the conspiracy cost, Perez faces a most statutory penalty of 5 years in jail and a $250,000 superb. He faces a most penalty of 1 yr in jail and a $25,000 superb if convicted of the illegal sale and distribution of pesticides. Any sentence, nevertheless, can be decided on the discretion of the courtroom after consideration of any relevant statutory elements and the Federal Sentencing Tips, which consider a variety of variables. The costs are solely allegations; the defendant is presumed harmless till and except confirmed responsible past an inexpensive doubt.

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