Anchorage, Alaska - United States Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that on Oct. 19, 2015, Donald Ray Thornlow, a former resident of Ketchikan, Alaska, pled guilty in federal court in Juneau to violating the Lacey Act by commercially purchasing halibut that was caught for subsistence and sport purposes.
Thornlow, 66, pled guilty to a single count of a Lacey Act violation before United States Magistrate Judge Leslie Longenbaugh.
According to the information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, who prosecuted the case, from January 2012 to about December 2013, Thornlow, the owner and operator of the former Narrows Inn and Restaurant in Ketchikan, Alaska, took part in a continuing scheme of purchasing subsistence and sport caught halibut for resale in his restaurant, a violation of federal regulations. Thornlow pled guilty to purchasing at least 997 pounds of illegally-caught halibut from three sources. Thornlow paid the three fishermen significantly less than he would have paid for legally-harvested halibut. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Thornlow will pay a $5,000 fine and be placed on probation for one year.
Prior to imposing sentence, Magistrate Judge Longenbaugh highlighted the seriousness of the offense and the need to deter the defendant and others, as well as the need to protect Alaska fishery resources as the reasons for imposing the sentence.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement, Alaska Enforcement Division conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
