United States Attorney |
LOS ANGELES -- A 46 year old Orange County man pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to smuggle song birds into the United States.
Song Dong was ordered to stand trial along with 34 year old Duc Le who has also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Dong was arrested at LAX on April 13 after customs agents found more than a dozen birds concealed underneath his clothing.
14 of the birds were strapped onto his legs during a commerical flights from Vietnam to Los Angeles International Airport, according to the United State's Attorney's office.
Prosecutors say he had bird feathers and droppings on his socks, and birds' tail feathers peeking out from under his pants when he was arrested.
Three red-whiskered bul-buls, four magpie robins and six shama thrush were among the birds that are now in quarantine.
Le was later linked to Dong and charged after investigators found an outdoor aviary consisting of 70 large bird cages that contained 51 Asian songbirds inside his Garden Grove home, according to court papers.
If convicted of the charges contained in the indictment, Le faces a statutory maximum sentence of 26 years in federal prison, and Dong faces a statutory maximum sentenced of 10 years in prison.
Both men have been released on bond.
Song Dong was ordered to stand trial along with 34 year old Duc Le who has also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Dong was arrested at LAX on April 13 after customs agents found more than a dozen birds concealed underneath his clothing.
14 of the birds were strapped onto his legs during a commerical flights from Vietnam to Los Angeles International Airport, according to the United State's Attorney's office.
Prosecutors say he had bird feathers and droppings on his socks, and birds' tail feathers peeking out from under his pants when he was arrested.
Three red-whiskered bul-buls, four magpie robins and six shama thrush were among the birds that are now in quarantine.
Le was later linked to Dong and charged after investigators found an outdoor aviary consisting of 70 large bird cages that contained 51 Asian songbirds inside his Garden Grove home, according to court papers.
If convicted of the charges contained in the indictment, Le faces a statutory maximum sentence of 26 years in federal prison, and Dong faces a statutory maximum sentenced of 10 years in prison.
Both men have been released on bond.
