A Wabasha man pleads guilty to federal charges of trying to smuggle elephant ivory out of the U.S. to a buyer in China.
On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lugar announced 66-year-old Jay Anderson of Wabasha admitted that he knowingly imported and export objects made from elephant ivory, in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
A postal inspector spotted the package, which was labeled as “resin carvings” valued at $30.
Experts said the actual value the illegal products in the case is between $40,000 and $95,000.