Paul Silvis, Guiding Without a License, Alaska 2019
Anchorage, Alaska – In a shocking revelation, a 52-year-old Idaho man has been sentenced to six months of home confinement and five years of supervised release for guiding without a license in the Noatak National Preserve and filing false hunting documents.
Paul Silvis, of Nampa, Idaho, was handed down the sentence by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason. In addition to the sentence, Silvis was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and not to hunt in Alaska for the remainder of his lifetime.
The charges against Silvis stemmed from his actions between 2009 and 2016, where he repeatedly provided guided bear and moose hunts in the Noatak National Preserve without the necessary permits.
According to court documents, Silvis was motivated by pecuniary gain, acquiring approximately $121,500 by unlawfully selling and providing guide services, resulting in the unlawful taking of seven brown bear and one moose.
The investigation revealed that Silvis advertised his unlicensed guiding services under the name “Orion Outfitters,” transported illegally taken game across state lines, and submitted false business records to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) to conceal the illegal take of brown bears and guided hunts.
As per the Lacey Act, a non-resident hunter would be required to have contracted with a licensed big game guide, possess the appropriate ADF&G draw permits, and purchase the appropriate big game tags to lawfully hunt brown bears within the Noatak National Preserve. Silvis neither met these requirements nor did his clients.
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) conducted the investigation, leading to the successful prosecution of this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska, prosecuted the case.
Silvis pleaded guilty to two felony counts of Lacey Act violations in October 2019. The charges against him included:
Lacey Act violations (2 counts)
His sentencing date was today, with the exact date not mentioned in the source.
Defendant Details:
Defendant: Paul Silvis
Age: 52
City: Nampa, Idaho
Criminal Charges: Lacey Act violations (2 counts)
State: Alaska
Year: 2019
Sentence: Six months of home confinement and five years of supervised release
Fine: $20,000
Restrictions: Not to hunt in Alaska for the remainder of his lifetime
Amount Illegally Earned: Approximately $121,500
Illegally Taken Animals: Seven brown bear and one moose
Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Category: Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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