INSIDE INFO ALLEGED IN ABALONE THEFTS \
ARRAIGNMENT DELAYED FOR COMMERCIAL ABALONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEMBER
Published on December 22, 2000
© 2000- The
Press Democrat
CLARK MASON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Prosecutors say a man who sits on a state abalone advisory
committee used inside knowledge to try to avoid game wardens seeking
poachers.
Joel A. Roberts, 37, is a member of the Commercial
Abalone Advisory Committee, which advises the state
Department of Fish and Game on issues involving the protected
shellfish.
He was arrested Dec. 8 and charged with conspiracy to illegally
possess abalone and taking abalone for commercial
purposes from a closed area.
Roberts, a Santa Cruz resident, and co-defendant, John R.
Funkey of Capitola, made an initial appearance Thursday in Sonoma
County Superior Court.
But their arraignment was postponed until next month.
Fish and Game wardens believe they were using scuba tanks --
also a violation of state law -- to gather abalone during the
off-season and selling the illegal harvest in Sonoma, Santa Cruz and
San Francisco counties.
The mollusks are considered a delicacy and can command as
much as $80 apiece on the black market.
Prosecutor Brooke Halsey Jr. said Roberts had files with
information on different poaching cases and knew when Fish and Game
wardens were least active.
``He knew how not to get caught,'' Halsey said. ``He figured
it was the off season and the wardens wouldn't be watching.''
Authorities also allege that Funkey rented a van to avoid
identification and the possible forfeiture of his own car.
Roberts was a commercial abalone diver before a
statewide moratorium was declared on commercial harvesting several
years ago. He was appointed to the abalone advisory
commission in 1994.
In addition to the felonies, Roberts faces a misdemeanor
methamphetamine possession charge and nine other misdemeanors
relating to unlawful taking of abalone.
According to the criminal complaint, Roberts and Funkey were
seen taking 129 abalone earlier this month on the Sonoma
Coast.
After harvesting the abalone, the complaint says they
took the shellfish to a storage unit in San Francisco owned by a
seafood company.
The two men are scheduled to return to court on Jan. 19 for
arraignment and to decide which lawyers will represent them.
You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 568-5312 or by
e-mail at cmason@pressdemocrat.com.
PHOTO: b&w mug: Joel Roberts
Keywords: FISHING
CRIME DRUGS
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