Spring Hill Man Sentenced in Turtle Trafficking Case

A Spring Hill man will spend 15 months in federal prison after being sentenced in connection with the illegal trafficking of Florida box turtles, loggerhead musk turtles, and ornate diamondback terrapins in violation of the Lacey Act. The Act is intended to stop the trafficking of illegally obtained wildlife, fish and plants.

In addition to his prison term, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday also sentenced Kevin Olbrych, 48, to 3 years of supervised release. Under the ruling, Olbrych is also forbidden from possessing, caring for, transporting, selling, transferring, or distributing any animals and is required to pay $7,500 to the Lacey Act Reward Fund.

That Fund is authorized by Congress to pay for the care, treatment, and rehabilitation of wildlife pending their disposition at the conclusion of civil and criminal matters and to compensate witnesses and cooperators in criminal investigations.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, the sentence stems from a 2018 investigation by the Tampa Police Department; when acting on a warrant, law enforcement discovered several 300-gallon tanks filled with turtles and other containers used for rearing turtles at Olbrych’s Spring Hill home.

Also, a total of 120 turtles were not housed properly, and Olbrych was not properly licensed to possess them.

Tampa police confiscated the turtles and turned them over to an individual who was qualified to rehabilitate them on behalf of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Afterward, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched its own investigation, which revealed that Olbrych had been selling the reptiles to a co-conspirator buyer in Oregon who subsequently sold them to buyers in China.

The following ongoing investigation revealed that even after law enforcement seized the animals from his home in 2018, Olbrych continued to traffic the turtles through 2021.

Olbrych pleaded to the trafficking charges in November of 2023. His sentence was handed down on March 4, 2024.