(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - David Vest,43, of Ketchikan, plead guilty on January 21, 2020, to tampering with and retrieving another person’s shellfish gear without permission and unsworn falsification in the second degree by making a false statement of material fact on in Alaska Department of fish and game commercial Dungeness tag replacement affidavit. 

Vest was charged on October 01, 2018, by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers Ketchikan Post with a 21 count criminal complaint which included interference with commercial Dungeness crab gear, interference with personal use gear, theft in the 3rd degree, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, unlawful identification of commercial Dungeness crab gear, failing to report Dungeness crab on fish tickets, unlawful possession of fish, theft in the fourth degree, mutilating commercially taken Dungeness crabs before a landing, and unsworn falsification.

Vest was charged after Alaska State Trooper conducted video surveillance and observed Vest aboard the F/V Silver Surfer near Etlion Island operating commercial and personal use crab pots that were not his. 

The Alaska Department of Public Safety announced on February 12, 2020, that Vest was sentenced and fined $10,000 with $4,000 suspended, probation for one year requiring he obey all laws. Vest also forfeited of all seized fish and game as well as all equipment seized during the investigation and forfeited $398.00 of commercially sold Dungeness crab. 

The court imposed suspension of his commercial fishing permit, privileges and license for one year. 

Source of News:

Alaska Department of Public Safety
www.dps.alaska.gov

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