NYC man caught at border with Burmese pythons in his pants is sentenced, fined
CBSN
A New York City man who attempted to smuggle Burmese pythons in his pants has been sentenced for attempting to transport three of the reptiles over the U.S. border.
Calvin Bautista, 38, has been sentenced to one year of probation and fined $5,000 on a federal smuggling charge. He faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years, officials said after he was indicted in 2022.
Bautista, from Queens, previously admitted to smuggling the snakes in July 2018, as he rode a bus that crossed the U.S.-Canada border at the Champlain port of entry in Clinton County, New York, officials said. Customs and Border Protection Officers found the snakes in a small bag attached to his pants, near his inner thigh, as they reviewed his passport and conducted a search.
