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Local Man Charged with Illegal Moose Guiding and Wire Fraud
A federal grand jury in Anchorage, Alaska has charged Michael Mikhail Beans, a 34-year-old resident of St. Mary’s, with two felony counts of Lacey Act violations and nineteen felony counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Beans collected over $59,000 from hunting parties, totaling over thirty hunters, for moose hunts to be conducted in Alaska in September of 2022 and September of 2023.
The Lacey Act makes it illegal to transport and sell wildlife in interstate commerce, and Beans is accused of guiding two hunters for bull moose without being licensed as a Big Game Guide or Transporter by the State of Alaska.
Beans is also charged with wire fraud in connection with booking guided moose hunts and receiving over $59,000 in electronic payments from clients, only to cancel the hunts without providing a refund.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker and Special Agent In-Charge Jeff Mihan made the announcement, stating that an indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
An arraignment date has not been set, and a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Beans faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted. The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Alaska Wildlife Troopers Investigations Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ainsley McNerney and Steve Skrocki prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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