S.F. PAIR PLEAD INNOCENT IN ABALONE STING
Published on July 26, 1996
© 1996- The Press Democrat
BYLINE: Bony Saludes
Staff Writer
PAGE: B6
The owners of a San Francisco fish market who were arrested by state fish and game wardens in an abalone sting operation in Petaluma on July 14 pleaded not guilty Thursday their first appearance in Municipal Court.
May Chang and her brother, Raymond Chang, owners of the S.F. Hong Kong Market, are charged with conspiring to violate fish and game laws, which is a felony, and several misdemeanors.
Judge Frank Passalacqua granted a defense motion to release both on their own recognizance and continued their case to Aug. 22 to set a date for a preliminary hearing. The Changs, who had each posted $25,000 bail after their arrests, needed to free property they put up as security for the bail bonds, their lawyers said.
May Chang was arrested after she bought 40 pounds of illegal abalone from undercover game wardens for $480 in Petaluma, officials said. Raymond Chang was arrested later at their San Francisco store. Game wardens said the mollusks sold to May Chang were undersized abalone that had been confiscated in prior abalone poaching cases. Besides felony conspiracy, the Changs are charged with illegally buying North Coast abalone, buying undersized abalone and failing to complete paper work for the purchase, all misdemeanors. If convicted they face a maximum of three years in prison, fines up to $40,000 and permanent seizure of a $50,000 Mercedes-Benz automobile.
Keywords: FISHING CRIME
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