A South Texas grand jury has indicted four men from Matamoros, Mexico, for illegally transporting fish taken from the Gulf of America. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The individuals charged are Miguel Angel Ramirez-Vidal, 32; Jesus David Luna-Marquez, 20; Jesus Roberto Morales-Amador, 27; and Jose Daniel Santiago-Mendoza, 22. They were arrested following a criminal complaint and are scheduled to appear for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt at 1:45 p.m., May 22.
Court documents indicate that on April 17, the crew allegedly attempted to transport approximately 315 kilograms of red snapper illegally harvested from U.S. waters with the intent to sell in Mexico. Authorities reportedly observed their panga-style fishing vessel in the Gulf of America, seven miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line and 21 miles east of South Padre Island.
The crew is accused of using about four kilometers of heavy nylon fishing line and 1,200 fishing hooks on an unmarked and unregistered vessel without national identification or running lights. The charges claim none had permits to fish in U.S. waters nor quotas for red snapper, violating federal law.
If convicted, each faces up to five years in federal prison and a potential $250,000 fine. This case marks the first illegal fishing prosecution in the Southern District of Texas.
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