Kodiak Strip Club Owners Face Federal Charges for Illegal Waste Dumping

Anchorage, Alaska – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has dropped a重磅 bombshell on Kimberly Christina Reidel-Byler, 46, and Darren K. Byler, 54, both residents near Kodiak, by announcing that they have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The charges? Illegal disposal of human waste into waters in and around Kodiak.

The Wild Alaskan, a converted 94-foot Bering Sea crabber anchored in St. Herman Harbor, Kodiak, was once more than just a floating bar—it was also a strip club. Between June 25, 2014, and June 30, 2014, the Bylers operated it as such, ferrying customers to the vessel from shore with the Gulf Coast Responder, a 35-foot landing craft.

Kimberly Byler told the U.S. Coast Guard that human waste was being stored in a 5,000-gallon tank and disposed of at Pier 2, St. Herman Harbor. Darren Byler? He claimed he was transporting it three nautical miles offshore before dumping it into the ocean. But, according to the Indictment, these statements were a pack of lies.

Waste from the Wild Alaskan was actually being piped directly overboard and into St. Herman Harbor—a clear violation of the Refuse Act, Title 33, United States Code, Sections 407 and 411. Making false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard is also a no-go under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.

The investigation was spearheaded by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is taking on the prosecution. Darren Byler made his initial appearance and was arraigned on February 23, 2015, but Kimberly Byler remains at large.

Both Bylers are staring down the barrel of serious prison time if convicted. Violating the Refuse Act could land them not less than 30 days in jail and up to one year, with a fine of $25,000 for each day the act was violated—a significant financial hit. Making false statements carries its own set of penalties: up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year term of supervised release.