Big-Mouthed Poachers Take the Wrong Flight

In 2023, while flying back to California from the East Coast, a couple attempted to smuggle a federally protected green turtle skull by concealing it within a jacket—another illicit trophy added to their collection. As the plane cruised at altitude, Byron Lee Fitzpatrick and Shannon Lee Price struck up a conversation about their spoils, unaware that two plainclothes officers seated in front of them were listening.

The officers, K9 handlers with the Northern Enforcement District of California, were returning from training in San Diego when they overheard the couple enthusiastically discussing their passion for wildlife. In a stunning display of self-incrimination, Fitzpatrick and Price openly admitted to smuggling the turtle skull, illegally killing a mountain lion, and possessing multiple pieces of taxidermy prohibited under California and federal law.

They even went as far as showing the officers a video of their trophy room.

Adding to their recklessness, they implicated a close family member, Harry Vern Fitzpatrick, who owned several pieces of illegal taxidermy.

When the plane landed, the officers asked to see the turtle skull. Aware of its illegal nature, the couple hesitated, waiting until they were out of TSA's line of sight before revealing their smuggled contraband. That was all the confirmation the officers needed.

Upon returning to their patrol districts, wildlife officers secured search warrants for the couple's home in Chico and the residence of the implicated family member in Napa County.

Executing the warrants, officers discovered the couple butchering an illegally harvested deer. According to a press release from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the search also revealed "mountain lion claws, a ringtail cat, a barn owl mount, an illegal spike buck, and several unlawfully taken deer with tagging violations."

The search at Harry Vern Fitzpatrick's home proved just as fruitful. Officers found two full mountain lion mounts and a taxidermied wolverine—both illegal possessions under California law.

Formal complaints were filed against the accused, and plea agreements were reached in all three cases. Byron Lee Fitzpatrick received a $1,865 fine and one year of probation, prohibiting hunting or being around those engaged in hunting. Shannon Lee Price received a fine of $1,015 and a year of probation. Fitzpatrick and Price also received a $1,000 fine for their federal infractions.

Harry Vern Fitzpatrick received a $605 fine and was ordered to serve six months probation.

“This case exemplifies the unwavering preparedness and swift action demonstrated by our wildlife officers,” said CDFW Chief of Law Enforcement Nathaniel Arnold. “It highlights a broad spectrum of natural resource violations and underscores the critical role our officers play in safeguarding our resources, not only here in California but elsewhere throughout the country and abroad."

While this instance showcases examples of poaching we all agree to be egregious, like the harvesting of deer out of season, it also raises the question about the legality of taxidermy. Walk into any rural bar worth its weight in salt throughout the Mountain West, and you'll find mounted mountain lions, albeit some better looking than others. Cases of illegal taxidermy often blur the lines of right vs. wrong, and the final arbiter of morality often rests on the principles of those who reside within a specific state.

Images via CDFW.