A 55-year-old Braidwood, Illinois man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Raymond Favero pleaded guilty on July 11, 2012, to acquisition of wildlife in interstate commerce in violation of state law before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie.

According to information presented in court, on Feb. 1, 2007, Favero acquired approximately 110 straws of whitetail deer semen valued at $55,000.00, which he drew from a buck in Cherokee County which he knew had been illegally transported from an out-of-state source. Favero was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 4, 2012.

Favero faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing. If Favero’s plea agreement with the government is accepted by the court, he will serve a five year term of probation and pay a fine of $150,000.00 to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Lacey Act Reward Account and restitution of $50,000.00 to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. A sentencing date has not been set.

This case is being investigated by the Special Operations Unit of the Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.