Corey Potter, Unlawful Transportation of Fish or Wildlife, Alaska 2024
The Grimy Times has uncovered a shocking case of crab fishing lawlessness in Alaska, where the owner and captains of two vessels have been charged with violating the Lacey Act.
According to court documents, Corey Potter, the owner of the two crab catching vessels, directed captains Justin Welch and Kyle Potter to take the crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it at a higher price than they would have in Alaska.
The vessels harvested over 7,000 pounds of Tanner and golden king crab in Southeast Alaska in February and March 2024. However, neither captain landed the harvested crab at a port in Alaska, and the harvest was never recorded on a fish ticket, which is a requirement under state law.
The crab was allegedly taken through Canadian and Washington waters, and upon arrival in Washington, a large portion of the king crab was deceased and unmarketable. Corey Potter allegedly acknowledged that some of the crab aboard was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease that is fatal to crustaceans.
Over 4,000 additional pounds of Tanner crab were destroyed due to the risk of BCS infection. Court documents allege that had the crab been properly landed in Alaska, the harvest would have been inspected and infected crab would have been sorted out and disposed of before leaving Alaska.
Corey Potter is charged with two counts of unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in violation of 16 U.S.C. 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(1)(B), and Justin Welch and Kyle Potter are both charged with one count of the same violation.
If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and a $20,000 fine per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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