Man pleads guilty to smuggling tiger cub into California

SAN DIEGO

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A man who smuggled a Bengal tiger cub into California from Mexico has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Eighteen-year-old Luis Valencia of Perris entered the plea on Tuesday in San Diego.

The 6-week-old cub was found on the passenger-side floor in Valencia’s car in August at a San Diego border checkpoint.

Tigers are endangered and it’s illegal to import them without a permit.

Valencia told authorities he’d obtained the animal as a pet but later acknowledged he was bringing it into the U.S. for commercial purposes.

He’s now facing up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

A co-defendant is awaiting trial.

The tiger cub was named Moka and now lives at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.