Robert Martinez

History

Convicted: Killing and selling endangered animals for meat
Mar 25, 1998 - Chicago, IL (US)
Sentence: Martinez, a Palos Heights physician, plead guilty to killing a tiger and leopard claiming he was enthusiastic about big-game hunting and wanted trophies. Martinez was placed on probation for 3 years, fined $5000 and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service.
Martinez said he would voluntarily contribute $10,000 to the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Save the Tiger Fund.

In pleading guilty, Martinez admitted that, in August 1997, he purchased the hides of 2 African lions, 1 cougar, 1 leopard and 1 tiger. Martinez admitted that he shot and killed the animals while they were confined in cages and later displayed the mounted hide of the leopard at his residence.

Martinez also admitted that he obtained false US Dept of Agriculture forms declaring that the animals had been donated to him, and that he illegally possessed a barasingha - a type of endangered Asian deer - which he shot and killed at a game farm in Two Rivers Michigan in 1998.

Notes:
Martinez, a medical doctor, shot and killed endangered tigers, leopards, and barasingha, and purchased from Kapp, Galecki and others their hides and skulls to be mounted and displayed as trophies. He was charged with five counts of violating wildlife protection statutes