Galt Big Game Hunter Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle an Endangered Ladakh Urial Trophy into the United States

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Jason Keith Bruce, 51, of Galt pleaded guilty today to conspiring to smuggle an endangered Ladakh urial trophy into the United States, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

The Ladakh urial is an endangered species of wild sheep that lives in the mountains of Ladakh, a region of India and Pakistan.

According to court documents, Bruce was a recreational big game hunter and co-defendant Pir Danish Ali 45, of Pakistan, was the CEO of a hunting outfitter and guide company based in Pakistan. Bruce hunted as a client of Pir's company, and they conspired to hunt an endangered Ladakh urial in Pakistan. Bruce and Pir then conspired to smuggle the resulting trophy into the United States in 2018 by declaring it as a different species to Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and by presenting forged documents purporting to be issued by Pakistani authorities. After the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service detained the trophy, Bruce and Pir agreed with each other to lie and did in fact lie to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Further investigation revealed that numerous other documents presented by hunters who had hunted with Pir's company to import trophies into the United States were also forged. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified at least 97 trophies brought into the United States pursuant to fraudulent documents by at least 25 hunters who all hunted with Pir's company between 2013 and 2018.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Whitnee Goins are prosecuting the case.

Bruce is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on May 20, 2025. Bruce faces a maximum statutory penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges against Pir are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.