Category: Poachers

Mexican Poachers Interdicted by USCG Off Texas Coast

South Texas Coast Guard crews pursue and interdict a Mexican fishing vessel, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 off the Coast of South Padre Island, Texas. U.S. Coast Guard photos.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard interdicted one Mexican fishing vessel, Friday, after observing the vessel’s crewmembers poaching in U.S. waters.

At approximately 12:00 p.m., while on a routine patrol, an Air Station Corpus Christi aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter spotted a lancha north of the United States – Mexico maritime border and offshore of South Padre Island. When sighted by the helicopter the lancha fled. The helicopter crew then notified the Sector Corpus Christi Command Center and commenced pursuit of the lancha.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command diverted a crew aboard a Station South Padre Island 33-foot law enforcement boat to interdict the lancha. The Dolphin helicopter aircrew vectored in the law enforcement boat as the lancha fled toward the border. After a more than 30-minute pursuit, the lancha crew was stopped 10 miles into Mexico’s Exclusive Economic Zone. There were no injuries or damage to either the lancha or the pursuit boat after the pursuit in 4-5 foot seas. The four Mexican nationals aboard admitted to fishing illegally in U.S. waters and had 12 red snapper, 2 nurse sharks and 1 grouper totaling 150 pounds aboard their lancha. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

Coast Guard Seizes 3 Miles of Illegal Long Line Set by Mexican Fishermen

Coast Guard crews seized approximately 3 miles of long line fishing gear, Jan. 30, 2014, about 35 miles off the coast of South Texas. U.S Coast Guard photos.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Coast Guard crews seized a total of approximately 3 miles of long line fishing gear set by multiple Mexican fishermen operating illegally in U.S. waters Jan. 30.

Last night, Coast Guard Cutter Amberjack sighted multiple vessels moving at a high rate of speed southwards the maritime border. Unable to interdict the vessels, Amberjack returned to the vicinity of initial sighting, where crewmembers removed 700 yards of long line gear late last night and recovered an additional 4,400 yards this morning. The majority of the gear was found approximately 35 miles off the coast of South Texas.

Each mile of long line has scores of baited hooks and is capable of catching hundreds of fish per mile set. The seized lines contained 175 red snapper, 16 sharks, 3 stingrays and several other reef fish. Approximately 170 of these fish were found alive and released at sea. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

Conspirators in Gulf Oil Spill Fund Fraud Sentenced

BIRMINGHAM-A federal judge today sentenced three south Alabama family members to prison for running a scheme to steal more than $3 million from the claims fund established by British Petroleum for victims of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn sentenced MARCELLA TRUSS, 53, to 12 years and one month in prison. The judge also ordered Truss to pay $1.9 million in restitution and to forfeit that same amount as proceeds of illegal activity. Judge Blackburn sentenced Truss’ husband, MARTEE DAVIS, 42, to 13 years and three months in prison. The judge ordered Davis to be responsible for the same restitution and forfeiture as Truss. Judge Blackburn sentenced Truss’ brother, HOWARD LENARD CARROWAY, 42, to eight years in prison. Truss and Davis lived in Grand Bay, Ala., and Birmingham, and Carroway lived in Mobile during the course of the scheme. Read more

Poachers

DSC Urges Feds to Review Science, Permit Black Rhino Hunt

DALLAS – The U.S. government is deciding whether an American hunter should be allowed to bring home the taxidermy from a tentatively planned black rhino hunt in Namibia. An import permit could be approved or denied any day. DSC is urging the feds to make their decision based on the best available science, not emotional rhetoric.

DSC outlined its request in a formal letter submitted during a public comment period.

The letter reiterates the hunt is for a single, aged, non-breeding male known to charge and kill younger bulls, cows and even calves. This behavior, well documented in scientific literature, jeopardizes the future of the herd.

Since black rhinos are critically endangered, all forms of additive mortality “must be addressed in a manner that adds to stabilization and growth” of remaining populations, wrote Ben Carter, DSC executive director. Read more

Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

Coast Guard Intercepts Mexicans Poaching South Texas Waters

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Coast Guard interdicted a Mexican fishing crew poaching in South Texas Monday (Dec. 29) morning.

At approximately 10 a.m. Monday, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi sighted a Mexican fishing boat, also known as a lancha, 29 miles offshore of South Padre Island and 1 mile north of the United States/Mexico maritime border with fishing gear and bait fish on board.

The aircrew notified Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders, who diverted a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boatcrew aboard a 33-foot law enforcement boat. After a 9-mile pursuit, the boatcrew stopped the lancha with four people, baitfish and longline gear aboard. All persons and confiscated gear were turned over to Customs and Border Protection. Read more

Fishing, Poachers

DNR conservation officers seek information on Baraga County moose poaching

Conservation officers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are seeking information regarding the illegal killing of a bull moose that occurred in late November in Baraga County.

The moose carcass was discovered on Saturday, Dec. 13. Based on evidence collected at the site, officers believe the moose was killed in late November along Heart Lake Road near Petticoat Lake Road in the Three Lakes area. Logging is occurring along the road and road hunting violations have been reported in the area, according to officers involved in the investigation. Read more

Poachers

Environmental Fugitive Arrested in Zambia

LIVINGSTONE-On December 2, authorities in Zambia arrested alleged ivory trafficker Ben Simasiku, a Zambian national and one of nine fugitives targeted by INTERPOL’s Operation Infra Terra, the first fugitive operation to specifically pursue individuals wanted for crimes against wildlife or the environment. Simasiku was wanted for unlawful possession of elephant tusks and for escaping arrest in Botswana. He was captured by the Zambia Wildlife Authority’s (ZAWA’s) Intelligence and Investigations Unit, which is supported by African Wildlife Foundation (AWF).

“The Zambian authorities are to be congratulated for acting quickly and capturing this criminal,” says Nathan Gichohi, African Wildlife Foundation’s senior program officer for species protection. “It’s important we focus on stopping the middlemen, traffickers and kingpins of the ivory and rhino horn trade as much as the poachers. This can effectively be achieved by supporting intelligence agencies at the various wildlife authorities in Africa.” Read more

Poachers

Poaching Spree Results in Lifetime Revocations, Jail Time, and Over $100K in Fines

Poacher’s tools and some of the animals stolen from the citizens of Idaho Photo by G. Losinski/IDFG

IDAHO FALLS – What started out as a deer spotlighting case eventually resulted in exposing a poaching spree that lasted for three months and was responsible for the illegal killing of at least 8 deer, one elk, and a moose. At sentencing that concluded on November 14, 2014, District Judge Dane Watkins Jr. sentenced Adam Harris of Archer, Idaho & Brandon Harris of Ririe, Idaho with lifetime license revocations, jail time, and combined fines over $100,000.

In October of 2011, Madison County Sheriff’s Deputies observed a vehicle spotlighting on the fields above Cress Creek Trail. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, after a short chase the vehicle became stuck in the snow, and the suspects fled on foot. Conservation Officers from Idaho Fish and Game, with assistance from Idaho Bureau of Probation and Parole, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office began investigating. This was an especially egregious case of poaching, because the animals were killed at a time of the year when they are very vulnerable and concentrated on the winter range. The investigation showed that several more animals were wounded and never recovered.

District Judge Dane Watkins Jr. sentenced Adam Harris to an underlying prison term of two to five years. His term is to run concurrently with a previous prison sentence that Adam Harris is already serving. Watkins also ordered Adam Harris to pay a $500 fine for each count, a reimbursable damage assessment of $14,680 and a lifetime revocation of hunting privileges. Adam R. Harris, 33, pleaded guilty to two felonies. Count I: Unlawfully killing or possessing a cow moose. Count II: Unlawfully killing or possessing a spike elk and at least five deer. Pursuant to a plea agreement, a third count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person was dismissed by prosecutors.

Brandon C. Harris, 35, pleaded guilty to two felonies. Count I: Unlawful killing or possessing a cow moose. Count II: Unlawfully killing or possessing a spike elk and at least eight deer. District Judge Dane Watkins Jr. sentenced Brandon Harris to an underlying sentence of two to five years. Brandon Harris was credited for his time served and allowed to continue his release from prison on parole. Watkins also ordered Brandon Harris to pay $200 in fines for each count, a reimbursable damage assessment of $104,250 dollars, and a lifetime revocation of hunting privileges.

At the time of the incident, Adam Harris was on parole and fled the state. He was arrested in Michigan and extradited back to Idaho to face the charges nearly two years later.

Poachers
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