Turgeon and Emmi, Lacey Act Violations, Alaska 2022

Turgeon and Emmi, Lacey Act Violations, Alaska 2022

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Two Wasilla men, Theodore Turgeon, 29, and Charles Emmi, 29, have been sentenced for running an illegal guide-outfitter business out of Kodiak that resulted in the harvest of Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears in violation of the Lacey Act.

According to court documents, in March 2021, Turgeon and Emmi created a business called “The Rock Outfitters LLC” to provide “coastal and great lakes passenger transportation.” However, they were denied a transporter license from the Alaska Big Game Commercial Services Board due to Turgeon’s 2018 federal conviction for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

In June 2022, Emmi obtained a transporter license under the guise of a new business, “The Rock Kodiak,” which did not list Turgeon as an owner. The two men jointly owned a boat, the M/V Sound Choice, that they used to facilitate the illegal guide service.

On Nov. 9, 2022, Turgeon and Emmi collected $16,000 from a four-person hunting party to provide transporter services to hunt waterfowl and Sitka black-tailed deer out of Kodiak. During the trip, Turgeon illegally guided one client by outfitting him with his personal rifle, sighted the scope on his rifle, accompanied him into the field, and spotted two deer for the client.

Turgeon further assisted the client in the field with quartering and packing the doe and buck out of the field, all in violation of Alaska law. Turgeon and Emmi transported this client to port, and the client took the harvested meat and other animal parts to Texas.

Turgeon pleaded guilty to four felony counts of Lacey Act violations, commercial activity in illegally taken wildlife, and was sentenced to six months in federal prison, three years of supervised release following his prison term, and a $20,000 fine. Emmi pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor counts of Lacey Act violations, commercial activity in illegally taken wildlife, and was sentenced to four years of probation and a $30,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the United States Attorney's Office, District of Alaska, and is subject to ongoing litigation.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant/Respondent: Theodore Turgeon and Charles Emmi

Criminal Charges: Four felony counts of Lacey Act violations, commercial activity in illegally taken wildlife, and four misdemeanor counts of Lacey Act violations, commercial activity in illegally taken wildlife.

City and State: Wasilla, Alaska

Exact Date: Dec. 9, 2026 (sentencing date)

Sentence or Outcome: Turgeon: six months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine. Emmi: four years of probation and a $30,000 fine

Dollar Amounts: $16,000 (collected from hunting party), $20,000 (fine), and $30,000 (fine)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/pr/wasilla-men-sentenced-running-illegal-guide-outfitter-out-kodiak