Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Irish man jailed in Texas for trafficking endangered rhino horns

Patrick Sheridan, from Rathkeale Co Limerick, illegally bought and sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of rhino horns.

Vietnam Rhino Obsession Kin Cheung / PA Kin Cheung / PA / PA

A CO LIMERICK man has been jailed for one year in Texas, after pleading guilty to trafficking in endangered rhino horns.

Patrick Sheridan, from Rathkeale, was charged along with an unnamed individual, also from Rathkeale, and Michael Slattery Jr, with buying and selling black rhino horns in a scheme that operated across three US states, the UK and Ireland, between 2010 and 2011.

According to the indictment against him, Sheridan and his partners based their scheme in the city of Austin, and travelled back and forth across the Atlantic, as well as in Missouri and New York.

They violated the Endangered Species Act by knowingly purchasing specimens from two protected species – namely black and white rhinoceros horns.

Furthermore, they then falsified records in order to sell on some of the horns to third parties – in one case pocketing $50,000 from the sale of four horns to the owner of a tea house in the New York borough of Queens.

After an investigation involving An Garda Síochána, Sheridan was arrested at Holyhead in January 2015, after arriving on board a ferry from Dublin, and extradited to the US in September.

He pleaded guilty in November, and was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in prison, and fined $1,000 by US District Court judge Walter Smith in Waco, Texas.

Sheridan will be put on three years’ supervised release after serving his sentence.

Wildlife Trafficking Dan Ashe, Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Associated Press Associated Press

For his part, Michael Slattery pleaded guilty to his role in the operation in January 2014, and received a 14-month sentence.

Reacting to yesterday’s sentence, the head of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Dan Ashe, called endangered animal trafficking a “global scourge.”

The slaughter of incredible animals like the rhino driven by poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking is a global scourge, requiring global enforcement.
Working with law enforcement in countries across the world, we’re tracking, apprehending and extraditing criminals like Patrick Sheridan and his co-conspirators, no matter where they operate.
Today’s sentencing demonstrates that criminals who contribute to the slaughter of rhinos and other protected wildlife have nowhere to hide, and will inexorably face justice in the United States.

You can read the criminal indictment against Patrick Sheridan here

Originally published 8.56pm 

Read: London man sentenced for having bestiality images and selling monkey heads on eBay>

Read: An Irish man has been extradited to the US for trafficking rhinoceros horns>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
60 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Firestarter
    Favourite The Firestarter
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:34 PM

    Amazing that you win one match, and you get into the qualifers

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Kerr
    Favourite Kevin Kerr
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:36 PM

    @The Firestarter: the would have got in even if they lost against France, tho likely unseeded

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tezmond McVicar
    Favourite Tezmond McVicar
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:55 PM

    @The Firestarter: what are you talking about?

    12
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David craddock
    Favourite David craddock
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 2:39 PM

    @The Firestarter: kinda hard not to qualify

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute john kenny
    Favourite john kenny
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 10:58 PM

    @The Firestarter: zzzzzzzzzz

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Leahy
    Favourite James Leahy
    Report
    Jul 20th 2024, 11:16 AM

    @john kenny: zz

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sun Rise
    Favourite Sun Rise
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:44 PM

    Big hard man Damien O’Sullivan giving pelters to women who have achieved more in their lives than he ever will. Damien, you are a troll on the Internet and these woman are representing their country. They stand head and shoulders above people like you. Let that sink in.

    74
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger Whelan
    Favourite Ger Whelan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 2:39 PM

    @Sun Rise: As ever you are brave behind your keyboard and fake name. The fact you call people trolls while trolling the internet behind tells a lot about the person behind the account.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Money
    Favourite Sean Money
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:12 PM

    @Ger Whelan: you are a vicious piece of work. He is defending the womens team show respect boy.

    16
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger Whelan
    Favourite Ger Whelan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:24 PM

    @Sean Money: was it Putin’s fault the girls didn’t win all their games?

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Money
    Favourite Sean Money
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:29 PM

    @Ger Whelan: you are a sick puppy. Be happy Ireland won.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger Whelan
    Favourite Ger Whelan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 6:27 PM

    @Sean Money: Erm they didn’t win . They finished bottom of their group with 1 win out of 5 games. Hardly worth celebrating

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien O'Sullivan
    Favourite Damien O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 9:56 PM

    @Sun Rise: I reported you just now.
    Hopefully the last comment you’ll ever make on this.
    I repeat. The current team is useless they were much better under Vera. Constructive criticism, not some misogynistic agenda you’re pushing.
    Suck on that.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien O'Sullivan
    Favourite Damien O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 20th 2024, 12:09 AM

    @Sun Rise: God help the team if they have likes of you ‘looking out’ for them.
    You’ll be hearing from the Journal soon. Bye bye a*****e.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Old Times
    Favourite Old Times
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:19 PM

    Good draw

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien O'Sullivan
    Favourite Damien O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:29 PM

    They’re useless

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute james rowan
    Favourite james rowan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:31 PM

    @Damien O’Sullivan: i hope your talking about FFG,,,

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Leahy
    Favourite James Leahy
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 1:58 PM

    @Damien O’Sullivan: Damien give that phone back to your mother until you mature a bit like a good little boy.

    56
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien O'Sullivan
    Favourite Damien O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 9:49 PM

    @James Leahy: Just criticising the current team. They were better under Vera.
    Why don’t you run off and troll elsewhere fool. You have no idea what you’re talking about

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien O'Sullivan
    Favourite Damien O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 10:04 PM

    @james rowan: Yeah them too

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Auld Lad
    Favourite Auld Lad
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:04 PM

    Nobody is interested in women’s soccer, it’s just not very good

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
    Favourite Sean O'Dhubhghaill
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:44 PM

    @Auld Lad: 16 000 in Pairc Ui Caoimh.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Leahy
    Favourite James Leahy
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:58 PM

    @Auld Lad: another Immature small boy pretending to be an Auld lad.

    10
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Auld Lad
    Favourite Auld Lad
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 6:15 PM

    @James Leahy: oh look, here’s the white Knight on his steed, getting offended on behalf of women everywhere

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Auld Lad
    Favourite Auld Lad
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 6:16 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: been to bigger raves

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clare Power
    Favourite Clare Power
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 9:32 PM

    @Auld Lad: yeah we can tell…oh the irony

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall English
    Favourite Niall English
    Report
    Jul 20th 2024, 11:14 AM

    @Auld Lad: doubt you’ve left your mother’s basement in the past ten years.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Money
    Favourite Sean Money
    Report
    Jul 19th 2024, 4:10 PM

    No stopping them now after they beat France so easily

    7
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds