Brannon Finney, Unlawful Discharge of Pollutant, AK 2024

Brannon Finney, 32, of Bellingham, Washington, has been sentenced for orchestrating the illegal dumping of 16,000 pounds of toxic sandblast waste into Sumner Strait, Alaska. The captain of the fishing vessel “Alaskan Girl” pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful discharge of a pollutant, a federal violation of the Clean Water Act, and was sentenced yesterday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Scoble in Anchorage.

Court documents reveal Finney directed his crew to load four super sacks—each weighing approximately 4,000 pounds—onto the vessel after a recent repainting. The waste, a mix of copper slag and about 15 gallons of paint chips, totaled eight tons. Rather than pay $1,460 for lawful disposal, Finney chose to dump the hazardous material at sea while en route from Wrangell to Petersburg on June 15, 2017.

Video footage captured the crime in chilling detail. A cameraman on board filming for a potential cable reality show recorded footage of crewmembers slicing open one of the brailer bags as it hung over the side of the vessel. Black, sandy sludge poured into the water, and at least one crewmember cheered. The visuals became key evidence in the case, exposing not only the act but the callous attitude behind it.

When the F/V Alaskan Girl docked in Petersburg, an Alaska Wildlife Trooper confronted Finney about the waste. In the recorded exchange, the officer cited a complaint about the vessel leaving Wrangell with sandblasting debris. “We just dumped it,” Finney admitted without hesitation. That confession, paired with video evidence, sealed his fate.

Finney now faces an $8,000 fine, an additional $2,000 payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, 40 hours of community work service, and 18 months of probation. He is also required to post a public apology—a small price for poisoning waters vital to Alaska’s ecosystem and economy.

“Maintaining the pristine waters of Alaska is important to all residents and visitors to our state,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder. “Fishing is one of the most important parts of our economy, and Alaska seafood is prized worldwide because of the quality of the catch.” Jeanne Proctor of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division added, “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that EPA and its partner agencies are committed to protecting the marine environment.” The investigation was led by EPA-CID, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and the Alaska Department of Law, with prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.