Investigators say 38-year-old Joshua Seguine of LaGrangeville was arraigned this week for illegal shark trafficking, after finding seven sandbar sharks in his garage in 2017. Sandbar sharks are a protected species under New York law. 

"We weren't really expecting a full swimming pool with a shark that was almost five feet long in it," said Lt. Nick Desotelle, with the DEC Region 3 Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigations. 

Prosecutors say the DEC discovered Seguine when he was allegedly found with five undersized sharks in the back of his truck in July 2017. Prosecutors say Seguine told police he admitted to transporting the sharks to New York State where he planned to sell them, and he had more sharks at his house. That's what led them to request a search warrant, where they found the animals. 

"The trafficking of protected species is both unlawful and harmful to these vulnerable creatures. This individual is charged with knowingly putting these endangered species in harm's way, in an effort to line his own pockets," said New York State Attorney Letitia James in a statement.  

The DEC also investigated this case and says it's a rare thing for live sharks to be trafficked.   

"Illegal trafficking in sharks is generally focused around the food industry. They use shark fins for shark fin soup, shark meat is also pretty common," Desotelle said.

Investigators say Seguine was selling sharks online, likely for the pet industry. The cost to legally buy a shark would be more than $11,000.  

"In this instance, we're actually talking about felonies. Anything that gets over $1,500 is going to be a felony-level illegal commercialization case," Desotelle said. 

Some of the sharks were transferred to the New York Aquarium in Coney Island, and the director says they are doing well. 

"These animals are really actually telling the story of both the global problem and a local issue. And the fact it had a happy ending when it could, and probably would, have ended really badly for these animals, is a great story. People can feel really good about that part," said Jon Forrest Dohlin, director for the Wildlife Conservation Society New York Aquarium.    

Seguine is due in court next month. DEC Police also discovered two dead leopard sharks, a hammerhead shark, and remains of another endangered species when they executed the search warrant.