Texas refuge owner faces federal charge

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) -- The owner of a Texas wildlife refuge is accused of offering to take three endangered creatures to Oklahoma to sell them.<br/><br/>Charlie Azzopardi owns the Amarillo Wildlife Refuge.

Thursday, July 21st 2005, 6:14 am

By: News On 6

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) -- The owner of a Texas wildlife refuge is accused of offering to take three endangered creatures to Oklahoma to sell them.

Charlie Azzopardi owns the Amarillo Wildlife Refuge. He faces another court appearance today in Amarillo.

Azzopardi was arrested and arraigned Tuesday in Oklahoma City -- and released on his own recognizance.

The charge alleges Azzopardi offered to deliver two clouded leopards and a white tiger cub from Amarillo to Clinton, Oklahoma, for sale.

Azzopardi is charged with a federal wildlife misdemeanor offense that carries up to one year in prison and a fine of as much as $100,000.

An informant told federal agents in Minnesota that Azzopardi had six or seven white tiger cubs for sale at $6,000 apiece.

An undercover federal agent helped in the investigation.