James Lawrence ‘Lance’ Freeman, Paddlefish Harvesting, Mississippi 2018

A pair of Kentucky men have been sentenced to prison and fines for their involvement in the illegal harvest of paddlefish in Mississippi.

James Lawrence ‘Lance’ Freeman, 27, of Eddyville, Kentucky, and Marcus Harrell, 34, of Murray, Kentucky, plead guilty to conspiring to violate the Lacey Act by travelling from Kentucky to Mississippi on multiple occasions between November 6, 2018, and January 5, 2018, for the purpose of harvesting paddlefish from Moon Lake in Coahoma County, which was closed to paddlefish harvest.

Freeman or Harrell would take the harvested paddlefish roe back to Kentucky to sell to commercial processors, falsely claiming that the paddlefish had been caught in the Ohio River or other places in or near Kentucky where the harvest of paddlefish was legal.

Freeman was sentenced on September 15 in Oxford, Mississippi, to 6 months incarceration, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $20,000.00 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Freeman, a commercial fisherman, was further banned from all fishing, both commercial and recreational, for a period of 5 years. Freeman is scheduled to report to prison on November 28.

Harrell was sentenced on July 26 in Oxford, Mississippi, to 5 years probation and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $7,500.00 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Harrell, who is also a commercial fisherman, was banned from all fishing in the State of Mississippi for a period of 5 years and further banned from harvesting fish roe of any species in any state for a period of 5 years.

The investigation into the paddlefish poaching ring was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement Assistant Director Edward Grace stated, ‘The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement is committed to conducting criminal investigations with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in an effort to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats.’

Col. Jerry Carter of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks added, ‘I am extremely proud of these Officers for their hard work and dedication they put forth in bringing these violators to justice.’