Two Irish nationals, allegedly involved in the illegal worldwide trade of rhinoceros horns, have been sentenced in Denver to six months in prison for attempting to ship four rhino horns to Ireland.
The men are identified as Richard O’Brien and Michael Hegarty from Rathkeale, Ireland.
Along with the prison sentence, both men were sentenced to three years of supervised release and the forfeiture of approximately $17,600.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver said the pair met with an undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent on Nov. 13 in Commerce City and purchased four rhino horns for 12,850 euros, or approximately $17,600.
They allegedly assured the undercover officer they would not get caught in the transfer of the horns from the United States to Ireland.
After their arrest, which occurred almost immediately after the sale went down, the two Irish nationals told investigators they planned to deliver the horns and some antique furniture to an antique store so a co-conspirator could ship the horns to Ireland.
A search of the pair’s rental car turned up passports, luggage, a chest of drawers, four large packing boxes and shrink wrap that agents believed were intended to pack the horns.
The exportation of rhino horns from the United States for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited by U.S. law and CITES, a multilateral treaty of which the United States and the Republic of Ireland are parties.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
