Poachers Hall of Shame
Five Plead Guilty to Illegal Catch, Sale of Fish in N.C.
By The Associated Press
(05/06/05 -- RALEIGH) ? Five commercial fishermen have pleaded guilty to federal charges for illegally catching and selling striped bass, red drum and tuna.
The five, who worked in the Manteo area in 2000 and 2001, failed to properly report their catches.
The men, who pleaded guilty this week and last month, landed their fish in North Carolina, then transported the catch to Virginia for sale. That travel violated the federal Lacey Act, which bars interstate transport or sale of illicit fish.
Jonathan Midgett, Richard Moore, Chas Rowe and Daniel Davis pleaded guilty to felony counts of violating the Lacey Act, while Matthew Huth pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor violation.
Midgett, Moore, Rowe and Davis could be sentenced to as much as five years in prison and a fine of up to 250-thousand. Huth could get a year in prison and a 100-thousand dollar fine. No sentencing date was set.
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