Felix Baravik, Paddlefish Trafficking, Missouri 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Felix Baravik, 49, of Aurora, Colorado, pleaded guilty to illegally trafficking in paddlefish in federal court.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation, during March and April 2011, they conducted a covert investigation, “Operation Roadhouse,” centered on an area known as the Roadhouse in Warsaw. As part of the covert operation, state and federal officers operated a paddlefish snagging business. Covert officers also sold paddlefish to people who were interested in buying them.

By pleading guilty, Baravik admitted that he traveled from Colorado to Missouri on April 16, 2012. On that day, he and his co-conspirators met with covert agents posing as fishermen who had a boat, which they were going to use to fish for paddlefish. During that conversation, conspirators exchanged telephone numbers with the covert agents and Baravik told the covert agents to call if they caught a paddlefish.

The next day, conspirators arranged to purchase female paddlefish from covert agents. Baravik participated in the conversations regarding the paddlefish.

On April 18, 2012, Baravik and a co-conspirator went fishing for paddlefish with the covert agents. During the fishing trip, the conspirators exceeded the Missouri daily take limit. The conspirators kept the paddlefish that they took and processed them by removing the eggs from the carcass, and further processed the eggs to make caviar.

On April 20, 2012, Baravik and the other conspirators transported the paddlefish and paddlefish eggs that they acquired from Missouri to Colorado.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, the government and Baravik agree to jointly recommend to the court a sentence of three years of probation and a $5,000 fine. The first six months of probation will be served as home detention, and Baravik shall not fish, or accompany anyone fishing, anywhere in the world during the term of his probation. Baravik must also perform 500 hours of community service. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

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