North Hollywood Pool Cue Maker Admits Smuggling African Elephant Ivory

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA - A North Hollywood pool cue maker pleaded guilty today to a federal charge stemming from an attempt to smuggle parts of billiard sticks made from protected African elephant ivory to buyers in Taiwan.

Cesar Ernesto Gutierrez, 75, entered his plea to a felony count of aiding and abetting the attempted illegal exportation of African ivory from the United States. The charge can carry a 10-year maximum penalty, but Gutierrez is expected to receive a far lesser sentence in November, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Gutierrez has been making ornate custom cues since the 1960s, and customers of his Ginacue company have included Minnesota Fats, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

The arrests in April at Los Angeles International Airport of two Taiwan- bound men carrying almost four-dozen sections of sticks inlaid with ivory led investigators to Gutierrez, court papers show.

The men -- Huang Ching"Chady" Liu and Wen Shou Wei "Zen" Chen -- told investigators that they bought many of the parts containing ivory inlays from Gutierrez for between $75,000 and $85,000, according to prosecutors.

Both men pleaded guilty to federal attempted smuggling charges and are awaiting sentencing.

Earlier this year, a website linked to Liu had advertised for sale a stick inlaid with ivory and silver, with an option for an "elephant ear skin wrap," for $3,650, court papers show.

"The protection of threatened and endangered wildlife is an international concern," said Eileen M. Decker, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles. "Illegal trafficking of protected species, even small parts of them, creates a market and demand that can lead to the decimation of these vulnerable populations."

The government has the authority to regulate ivory sales under the Endangered Species Act.

City News Service; Photo: Public Domain