A Borough Park man pleaded guilty to violating the state’s environmental conservation laws Thursday after he sold a cougar head and other prohibited wild animal parts to an undercover investigator.
As part of his plea deal handed down by Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Dale Fong-Frederick, 26-year-old Usher Weiss was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and to surrender the exotic animal parts in his possession, which included a full alligator taxidermy, a tiger skin, a cheetah skin and an elephant foot.
“We’re committed to stopping the illegal wildlife trade in our communities, and by prosecuting cases like this, we’re not just enforcing the law—we’re sending a strong message that protecting endangered species from harm is a priority,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement when announcing the sentencing on May 2.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation carried out an undercover sting operation on Nov. 2, 2023, sending one of its investigators to meet Weiss in the basement of a building on 49th Street in Borough Park.
During the initial meeting, the undercover investigator gave Weiss $900 in exchange for a cougar head mount. Weiss also offered the investigator a full cheetah head mount for $10,000, according to the DA’s office.
On Dec. 5, Weiss again met with the undercover agent at a building on 53rd Street in Borough Park and handed him a cheetah head mount, the skull of a big cat, the skin of a pinniped pup, and a bird mount.
According to the investigator, Weiss was also in possession of other illegal animal parts that violated the Environmental Conservation Law. He told investigators that he had purchased the items on websites, including Craigslist and OfferUp. He surrendered the items to the DEC last month.
“Cracking down on the illegal wildlife trade in New York State helps save the lives of animals often targeted by brutal poachers,” DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. “DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement explores every tip, chases down all leads, and fully investigates claims regarding the international illegal wildlife trade and its facilitators in New York State to ensure lawbreakers are held accountable for their crimes and animals are protected.”
