WTAMU Professor Indicted

A West Texas A and M University associate professor is indicted for smuggling goods into the U.S. and violating the Endangered Species Act.

Fifty-four-year-old Dr. Richard Kazmaier, imported protected wildlife items into the country without getting required permits or declaring them.

The indictment charges this happened between March 2017 and February 2020. The items included taxidermy mounts, skeletons and skulls.

Dr. Kazmaier is facing charges for importing protected species without getting permits like the Eurasian otter, greater naked tail armadillo, and other exotic animals.

If he’s convicted he could get 20 years in prison and a 250-thousand dollar fine for the felony smuggling charge, and the endangered species charges are misdemeanors with a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a 100-dollar fine.