Three-year prison sentence ratified for trafficking Galápagos tortoises

A provincial court in Guayas has upheld a three-year prison sentence for Paúl Adolfo T. M., who was convicted of stealing 123 giant Galápagos tortoise hatchlings. The ruling confirms a lower court's decision, which found the defendant responsible for the crime against wild flora and fauna, an offense committed on September 28, 2018, in Santa Cruz, Galápagos.

The prosecution successfully argued that the initial judges properly evaluated direct evidence and investigative findings to establish the defendant's guilt. The case involved the alleged trafficking of endangered species, specifically Chelonoidis vicina and Chelonoidis guntheri, which were intended for commercial sale.

In addition to his prison term, the convicted man faces a significant financial penalty. He is required to pay a fine equivalent to ten unified basic salaries and $669,000 as integral reparation to the Galápagos National Park. This amount is intended to cover the costs incurred in the breeding and care of the affected species.

The investigation was initiated following a report by authorities from the Galápagos National Park. Audio recordings collected by the prosecution implicated the defendant and suggested the existence of a trafficking structure. Investigators believe the scheme involved replacing park-bred turtles with wild ones lacking identification chips, which were then manually marked to evade detection. Inconsistencies in the recorded sizes and ages of turtles in breeding corrals also raised suspicions.