German Man Admits Mailing Hundreds of Tarantulas to US, Says Report

LOS ANGELES (CBS/KCAL/AP) Sven Koppler, a German man who admitted mailing hundreds of tarantulas into the United States, has agreed to plead guilty to a smuggling charge, according to court documents.

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The documents filed Tuesday say Koppler of Wachtberg, Germany, signed a plea agreement over the weekend involving one count of smuggling goods into the U.S.

The 37-year-old could face up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced April 11.

Federal prosecutors say Koppler mailed more than 240 live tarantulas from Germany to Los Angeles last year. Fish and Wildlife Service agents intercepted the packages then posed as customers and ordered dozens more spiders, including a protected Mexican species.

Prosecutors claim Koppler made $300,000 by selling the creepy crawlers to people in dozens of countries.