Department of Justice
Assistant U.S. Attorney's Office
-District of South Carolina

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2005

South Carolina Shrimp Fisherman Pleads Guilty To Criminal Violations of the Lacey Act

COLUMBIA, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Jonathan S. Gasser stated today that John Seigler, age 62, of Walterboro, South Carolina, pled guilty today in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, to the illegal sale of wildlife in interstate commerce, a violation of Title 16, United States Code, Section 3372. United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the pre-sentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that South Carolina law allows recreational shrimp baiting but strictly prohibits the sale of shrimp caught over bait. The Federal Lacey Act prohibits the sale in interstate commerce of wildlife taken in violation of state law. Seigler obtained recreational shrimp baiting permits in South Carolina. He and a co-defendant used the permits to catch large quantities of shrimp in South Carolina and then sold the shrimp illegally in Georgia and Florida. A search warrant was executed at the homes of Seigler and the co-defendant in November 2003. Authorities found 415 lbs. of shrimp, a scale, and numerous nets.

Mr. Gasser stated the maximum penalty that Seigler can receive is a fine of $20,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.

The case was investigated by agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement and the South Carolina Division of Natural Resources. Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.