Sai Keung Tin, 54, was sentenced on Friday for his role in trafficking eastern box turtles, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The turtles intercepted at a Torrance mail facility were bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities.

Tin labeled the packages containing the turtles as containing almonds and chocolate cookies. One turtle had ... and suppliers in the United States to ship turtles domestically to middlemen ...

The packages had been falsely labeled as containing almonds and chocolate cookies. Three of the ... "His ultimate plan was to pay for turtles in cash, ship turtles around the country, and ...