|
3 CHARGED IN ABALONE THEFTS
Published on August 20, 1996
© 1996- The
Press Democrat
PAGE: B2
COLUMN: Police and Courts
Three Santa Barbara men accused of poaching 46
abalone for commercial purposes from the Sonoma County
coast were charged Monday with felony conspiracy to violate
state fish-andgame laws.
One of them, Lance Anthony Robles, 33, a commercial
abalone fisherman, had his fishing license revoked for
life by the state Fish and Game Commission on Aug. 1 for
violations in Los Angeles, game warden Dave Bezzone said.
The others were identified as Timothy David Contreras, 27,
and Christopher Andrew Weighill, 34, who also is a licensed
commercial fisherman.
State park rangers arrested the trio Thursday on
suspicion of poaching 46 abalone for commercial
purposes from Fort Ross Reef. They are being held in Sonoma
County Jail in lieu of $25,000 each.
If convicted, the suspects face up to three years in
state prison and fines up to $40,000.
The three suspects were arraigned before Municipal
Court Judge Frank Passalacqua, who referred their cases to
public lawyers after they claimed they didn't have enough
money to hire private attorneys. The case was continued until
Wednesday for entry of pleas and a bail hearing.
Keywords: FISHING CRIME
Continue searching:
Visit the main
Press Democrat search page
Search the archive again:
|
