Keith J. Martin, Lacey Act Violation, Virginia 2023

NORFOLK, Va. – In a shocking turn of events, a Saxis man has pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act related to his illicit harvesting of striped bass.

Keith J. Martin, 52, a commercial fisherman licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia, was found to have routinely violated Virginia state law in the harvesting of striped bass from Virginia waters between 2018 and 2020. Investigators discovered that Martin took bass in excess of his quota, failed to report the amount of bass he took, and completed at least one sale of striped bass with a commercial purchaser without using a properly certified scale.

According to court documents, Martin’s quota for striped bass was 4,010 pounds in 2018 and 2019. However, investigators learned that Martin sold over 6,000 pounds of striped bass to a single seafood company in Maryland in 2018 and over 4,300 pounds to the same company in 2019. The harvesting of the striped bass in violation of Virginia law, coupled with transporting it in interstate commerce to Maryland, constitutes a violation of the Lacey Act.

During the relevant period, Martin illegally harvested and sold at least 12,663 pounds of striped bass, constituting a commercial value of at least $36,988.25. The magnitude of Martin’s crimes is staggering, and it is clear that he will face severe consequences for his actions.

Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber and Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Edward Grace made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the laws that protect our natural resources. The public can access a copy of this press release on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-40.

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