A Theodosia couple, 76-year-old Kermit J.Schofield and his wife 73-year-old Sandy Schofield, have pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally trafficking in wild American ginseng.
A press release from Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, says the couple entered their pleas December 29th after waiving their rights to a grand jury.
The Schofields operated a business from their home, Schofield Roots and Herbs, purchasing and selling wild American ginseng, blood root, Echinacea, Virginia snake root, and other roots and herbs.
The Schofields each admitted they illegally purchased a total of approximately 114.9 pounds of ginseng from sources in Arkansas on several occasions between 2013 and 2015. They knew it was illegal to purchase ginseng that was transported out of Arkansas without the required state certification. The purchases occurred outside the permitted time frame for purchasing ginseng in Missouri. The Schofields also admitted they falsified records related to the purchases.
For example, the Schofields purchased approximately 57.4 pounds of dried ginseng from sources in Arkansas on June 19th and August 15th, 2015, for a total of $22,940. Federal authorities executed a search warrant at their residence and seized 118 pounds of illegally obtained dried ginseng before the Schofields were able to sell it. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the Schofields must forfeit the seized ginseng to the government.
The Lacey Act makes it illegal to import, export, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate commerce any plant that is taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of state law. Under Arkansas statutes, the Arkansas State Plant Board has authority to regulate the harvesting, sale, and exportation of wild American ginseng. A valid certificate must be obtained to take ginseng out of the state of Arkansas. Missouri also regulates the harvesting, sale, importation and acquisition of wild American ginseng.
Under federal statutes, the Schofields are each subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of pre-sentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
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