Parrish 'Monkey Whisperer' who sold capuchin to Chris Brown pleads guilty

PARRISH – Jimmy Wayne Hammonds, 57, of Parrish, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to violating the Endangered Species Act with conspiracy to sell a protected primate to singer and songwriter Chris Brown.

Also known as “The Monkey Whisperer,” Hammonds conspired to sell a capuchin monkey to Brown between September 2017 and February 2018, even though possession of the primate is illegal in California, according to court records.

Brown paid $12,650 for the monkey, and it was seized in January 2018 by law enforcement from his California home. Brown was charged with two misdemeanor violations, according to a press release by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

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Hammonds attempted to conceal the transaction by claiming he sold the monkey to a buyer in Nevada, where possession of a capuchin is legal. In reality, a wildlife transporter met with one of Brown's associates in Nevada, and together they traveled with the monkey to California, according to court records. Neither person was permitted to possess the monkey.

Brown's possession of the Capuchin was reported to authorities by PETA in 2017.

Officials believed that Hammonds had sold two spider monkeys to rapper Swae Lee, according to PETA. The organization also alerted California wildlife officials to Lee’s unlawful possession of these spider monkeys, which led to the seizure of at least one of the primates.

“Exotic animals are not playthings, fashion accessories, or Instagram props for celebrities, and they’re not a business venture, either,” said Michelle Sinnott, PETA Foundation Associate Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement.

“Many animal advocates alerted PETA to Chris Brown’s illegal possession of this monkey, and they helped us take down a cruel and criminal breeder.”

Hammonds also illegally sold cotton-top tamarins to clients in Alabama, South Carolina and Wisconsin for $4,500 each, plus transportation fees, according to court records. He submitted false records to law enforcement and attempted to persuade a witness to lie and say they purchased the tamarins at a flea market.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

Hammonds faces a maximum penalty of 8 years in federal prison but has not yet been sentenced.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Chris Brown's monkey dealer pleads guilty to endangered species act