Yet he broke the law and you want him free? The others about to be released had a reduction in sentencing, after they served their min. time..See how that works?
As far as the fisherman, is it his first conviction?
Doubt it considering the sentence and fine. Sounds like an industrial scale op.
Full press release here,
Long Island Fisherman Sentenced to Prison Time and Pay More Than $600,000 for Fisheries Fraud | OPA | Department of Justice
"Anthony Joseph, a commercial fisherman from Levittown, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Central Islip, New York, to seven months in prison for federal violations stemming from his role in systematically underreporting fluke (summer flounder) that was being harvested as part of the federal Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced.
Joseph was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his incarceration and to pay $603,000 in restitution.
Joseph, the former operator of the dragger F/V Stirs One, pleaded guilty on April 11, 2014, to one count of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of federal records for knowingly submitting 158 falsified fishing logs, known as fishing vessel trip reports (FVTRs) and aiding and abetting the submission of 167 falsified dealer reports from June 2009 through December 2011, as part of a scheme to defraud the United States of overharvested and underreported fluke.
Under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) regulations, all of the Stirs One’s catch had to be reported to NOAA on FVTRs. During the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, the Stirs One principally targeted fluke. However, under the captaincy and with the knowledge of Joseph, the vessel exceeded its relevant federal and New York State quotas for fluke for at least 158 trips. These illegal overages totaled 302,000 pounds of fluke worth approximately $626,000."
Ya this wasn't Uncle Joe down at the local pond. This was major league.
