Man Sentenced for Acquiring Semen from Illegally Imported Deer

TYLER — A 55-year-old Braidwood, Illinois geneticist has been sentenced for acquiring semen from illegally imported deer in East Texas. Dr. Raymond Favero pleaded guilty on July 11 to the felony offense of acquiring wildlife in interstate commerce in violation of state law and federal laws. He was sentenced yesterday to three years probation by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Favero was also fined $6,000.00 and ordered to pay community restitution in the amount of $24,000.00 to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation.

According to information presented in court, on February 1, 2007, Favero acquired approximately 184 straws of whitetail deer semen valued at approximately $92,000.00, which he drew from a buck which he knew had been transported illegally from an out-of-state source. Then again, on January 28, 2008, Favero acquired another 110 straws of whitetail deer semen valued at approximately $55,000.00 which he drew from another buck which he knew had been transported illegally from an out of state source. Favero knew that Texas law prohibits any importation of live whitetail deer or live mule deer due to the threat of diseases transmittable by deer such as Chronic Wasting Disease and bovine tuberculosis. Favero earned a P.H.D. in Animal Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1992.