Man Who Smuggled 15 Lizards at Airport to be Sentenced

LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man could face 20 years in prison for strapping 15 live lizards to his chest to get through customs at Los Angeles International Airport.

Michael Plank of Lomita is scheduled for sentencing Wednesday. He pleaded guilty last year to smuggling wildlife into the U.S. The maximum sentence is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Plank was returning from Australia in 2009 when customs agents found two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 smaller lizards fastened to his body.

The lizards were valued at $8,500. All Australian reptiles are strictly regulated, and Plank didn't have a permit for them.