American Woman Convicted Of Smuggling Monkey Under Her Blouse

[t.s]

good lord, i wouldn't let her touch my monkey

[MKAsok]

Three people were indicted in that federal wildlife smuggling case on Tuesday, five days after another monkey was captured after escaping its new home and biting three people on the South Hill.

Never heard it called that before.

[dudemeister]

Ok a macaque monkey ..... but whats a spokane woman?

[BigSnake]

I wonder what would had happen if that little monkey had start to SNORING really loud durning the flight?

[Jingthing]

Ok a macaque monkey ..... but whats a spokane woman?

Not certain, but don't be messin' with her monkey unless you are prepared to find out!

[sassienie]

A new sign for airport security notice boards?

Ahhhhh, stop monkeying around.

[sassienie]

Gypsy Lawson and her dog Albert

Isn't that your dog Jingthing? She's nicked Jingthing's dog!

just why is the dog in this photo anyway?

..... to make her look like a caring animal lover and impress the court ...... m'lud.

Although that dog looks a bit pensive?

I`ve been in Thailand too long.

Had to look pensive up in the dictionary.

[Dakhar]

Gypsy Lawson and her dog Albert

Isn't that your dog Jingthing? She's nicked Jingthing's dog!

just why is the dog in this photo anyway?

..... to make her look like a caring animal lover and impress the court ...... m'lud.

Although that dog looks a bit pensive?

I`ve been in Thailand too long.

Had to look pensive up in the dictionary.

When did the monkey get Herpes, before or after ariving in America? Animal lover indeed!

[geriatrickid]

The monkey caper ended the day after Christmas last year when Pratt and Lawson visited the Fashion Bug store in north Spokane and told a clerk how the monkey was smuggled into the United States. That clerk called federal agents, who opened the investigation.

It seems to me the US authorities are embarrassed that this crazy crazy monkey lovin' lady got through their elaborate homeland security theater operations. And now she must pay. It was outrageous what she did, but ask yourself, would you have snitched on her? Be careful of speaking to clerks at the Fashion Bug! I mean its a monkey, not a bomb, not cocaine.

That clerk acted responsibly and his/her actions could very well have saved lives and prevented the outbreak of serious illnesses. The primate in question can act as a reservoir for several lethal viruses and bacteria that can do serious damage to humans. This is why people need a special import permit for primates. You wouldn't be so laissez faire if you had been bitten by the monkey and contracted fatal meningoencephalitis. Macaques from SE Asia 8 times out of 10 test positive for this virus. How about a hemorrhagic virus? What if the monkey was infected with SIV? Would this woman have been able to care for the afflicted monkey or prevent human infections?

This is why primates imported into the west come from verified breeding colonies. This woman didn't even have a home set up to care for a primate. Monkeys are not toys and are not happy when separated from their own or natural environments with trees and foilage to climb. More importantly, where did this idiot get the monkey. Was it from one of the markets where the babies are obtained by killing the mother?

The fact that she drugged a primate and obliged it to remain in a hot closed environment for at least 12 hours speaks volumes about her selfishness and stupidity. How would you like to be drugged out and shoved down into the folds of blubber of someone like that? This woman put other peoples lives in danger for her own pleasure.

[zaza]

I wonder what would had happen if that little monkey had start to SNORING really loud durning the flight?

The first thing that had occurred on my mind was;what would had happen to her if that little monkey made a "pee" or a "poo" while sleeping in her blouse

[Cuban]

Dudemeister - have you considered changing your Red/Blue flags for Red/Yellow ?

Regarding the dog's expression, I understand he was also smuggled across a border - but was stuffed in a much less pleasant location.

[sriracha john]

U.S. Department of Justice

Woman 'pregnant' with monkey convicted of smuggling

(CNN) -- A Washington woman who hid a sedated monkey under her blouse on a flight from Thailand was convicted of violating wildlife laws for smuggling the monkey into the United States, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Gypsy Lawson, 28, and her mother, Fran Ogren, 56, were convicted of smuggling and conspiracy to smuggle the monkey in violation of the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws.

Lawson hid the young rhesus macaque monkey under a loose-fitting blouse on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand, to Los Angeles, California, International Airport, pretending she was pregnant, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Washington said.

Permits are required to possess rhesus monkeys and many other species of animals. Such permits are granted for research, enhancement and conservation purposes. Additionally, transporting such species into the United States requires a customs declaration. Lawson and Ogren had neither.

"These defendants purposely undertook a course of action which could well have endangered many citizens, as well as the life of the animal in question," said U.S. Attorney James McDevitt.

Rhesus monkeys are known to carry viruses and parasites that can be transmitted to humans, said Paul Chang, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent. "This particular animal tested negative," he said.

Chang said the monkey has been placed with a rescue center for abandoned primates, "but it could have been living out its life with its family in its native habitat."

Authorities found journals and handwritten notes describing the mother and daughter's attempts to find a monkey small enough to smuggle back to the United States. The journal also described the pair's "acquisition of a small monkey and their experimenting with different medicines to sedate the monkey for their journey home," McDevitt's office said.

Authorities also found photographs of Lawson at two airports and on an airplane in which she is wearing loose-fitting clothing and appears to be pregnant.

"The journal confirms that she and her mother smuggled the monkey into the United States by hiding it under her shirt, pretending she was pregnant in order to get past authorities," the statement from McDevitt's office said.

Co-defendant James Edward Pratt, 34, already has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of possession and transportation of prohibited wildlife. He will be sentenced in January.

Sentencing for Lawson and Ogren is scheduled for March 3, 2009. The smuggling conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release.

Flight itineraries show the pair flew from Spokane, Washington, to Bangkok on November 4-5, 2007, with stops in Seattle, Washington, and Inchon, South Korea. They returned on a direct flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles, California, on November 28, 2007.

- CNN / 2 hours ago

[Jingthing]

The smuggling conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release.

Ouch! That's harsh!

[dingdongrb]

The smuggling conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release.

Ouch! That's harsh!

Yepper...May have as well been drugs.

[mango888]

Could she not have claimed that she had an ugly baby. Weve all seen babies not as good loooking as some monkeys.

[dudemeister]

Dudemeister - have you considered changing your Red/Blue flags for Red/Yellow ?

Cuban - you mean like this?

[Dakhar]

The smuggling conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of court supervision after release.

Ouch! That's harsh!

Yepper...May have as well been drugs.

Yeppers,

They don't kid around... My X-wife (from Taiwan) once insisted on "smuggling" in some plants from Taiwan. Crazy I know, I told the custom folks at the airport. She told me while we were on the plane what she was doing! Customs looked over the plants & gave their aproval. My X-wife was very cavalier about the whole thing... she thought I was crazy for getting so upset about her actions. BUT I DID NOT WANT TO GO TO JAIL for som stupid plant, or a stupid woman for that matter! I filed for divorce probably 3 months latter.

[Scott]

She should just be really glad she didn't get caught up in the closure of the airport. I don't think that little monkey would have stayed still for a week!

[Geekfreaklover]

Could have taken part.

[mango888]

What time is the monkey going to get? The monkey could have been the mastermind and the woman an unknowning accomplice.

Edited December 10, 2008 by mango888

[Geekfreaklover]

What time is the monkey going to get? The monkey could have been the mastermind and the woman an unknowning accomplice.

Yep, Allways the same, these monkeys trying to wriggle through any immigration loophole possible!!

[Misplaced]

Is that a monkey in your blouse or are you happy to see me?

[dudemeister]

Dudemeister - have you considered changing your Red/Blue flags for Red/Yellow ?

Regarding the dog's expression, I understand he was also smuggled across a border - but was stuffed in a much less pleasant location.

Sorted.

[toptuan]

“These animals are known carriers of viruses and parasites that can be transmitted to humans, although this particular animal tested negative,” Chang said.

- The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington, USA) / 2008-12-09

This smuggler was a total idiot, not knowing the risk she was taking for herself and others.

This species of monkey is known to frequently carry a virus in their saliva that is fatal to humans, usually transferred by biting.

Bitten tourists, particularly from Cambodia, have returned home after being bitten by this species of monkey, with strange, increasingly severe, symptoms which need to be caught early in order to avoid death. Most doctors in western countries are not familiar with this virus, and only the lucky victims get diagnosed accurately and early enough to avoid the inevitable. I remember reading about this on the Lonely Planet's website which invites input from travelers to SE Asia.

Stupid, indeed.

After my post, just noticed Geriatrikid's post which I missed:

The primate in question can act as a reservoir for several lethal viruses and bacteria that can do serious damage to humans

Edited December 11, 2008 by toptuan

[ourmaninbangers]

You don't get body checked unless the metal detector goes off, are monkeys made of metal?

Bombs on the other are made from bits of metal, hence the metal detectors usually go off or the dogs smell the explosives.

massive incorect generalization

not always...ever heard of semtex?

also,nitro glyclrin does not seem to have any metal in it as far as I can remember.. can you?

dogs also cannot smell certain types of semtex

[haybilly]

how the hel_l did they get pass the airport security with a monkey !!....

oh sorry, they flew from Bangkok!

on a serious note, it could have been a bomb she was carrying and not a monkey,

The **aggressive obscenity removed**claims to 'love ' monkeys--not the actions of someone with the monkey's best interests at heart--taking a young animal away from it's roots and giving it sedatives--f...wit, I hope she gets a stiff sentence.

Well really--I know we're not allowed to even think about questioning you mods but, for ...... sake the word was not THAT harsh--aggressive obscenity, I don't think so--also, as has been stated, she deserves everything she gets even a bit of name-calling.