New York man pleads guilty to selling cougar head and other exotic animal parts to undercover investigator

A New York man has pleaded guilty to trying to sell prohibited wildlife parts, including a cougar head.

Usher Weiss, 26, met with an undercover investigator from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on November 2, 2023, according to a press release from the department. The two met in a Brooklyn basement, where Weiss offered the undercover investigator a cougar head for $900. Weiss also offered a “complete cheetah head” for $10,000, the press release states.

Weiss and the investigator met a second time in December, where he handed the undercover investigator the cheetah head mount and several other animal remains, including the skull of a big cat, the skin of a baby seal and a bird mount.

Weiss also owned a fully stuffed alligator, a tiger skin, a cheetah skin and an elephant foot, the press release states.

Weiss was charged with violating environmental conservation laws. He pleaded guilty on Thursday.

As part of his plea, Weiss must pay a $5,000 fine. He also had to return any additional contraband in his possession. Weiss turned over the stuffed alligator, animal skins and elephant foot to the Department of Environmental Conservation in April. He also returned other contraband items, but the department did not share details on what they were.

“We are committed to end illegal wildlife trade in our communities, and by prosecuting cases like this, we are not just enforcing the law – we are sending a strong message that protecting endangered species is a priority,” said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in the press release.