Craig man sentenced in wildlife violations

A 41-year-old Craig man will serve more than three years in prison for violating the Lacey and the Marine Mammal Protection acts.

Christopher R. Rowland also was fined $5,000 when he was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Anchorage on Monday.

Rowland pled guilty to four counts of violating the Lacy Act in what authorities say was extensive involvement in illegal hunting, killing and export of sea otters, sea lions and harbor seals, and the illegal sale of pelts.

A two-year undercover operation conducted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with help from numerous state and federal agencies began in response to a concerned citizen's tip regarding the harvesting of animals protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The investigation revealed Rowland was conducting "frequent and well-planned hunting trips to harvest sea otters and sell their pelts on a commercial scale and without regard to the consequences of his illegal taking," according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Officials say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documented the illegal take of 75 sea otters and the illegal sale of six sea otter pelts and several skulls. The investigation also revealed that two of the illegal takes were spring-born pups.

According to the Justice Department, statements made to undercover USFWS operatives "indicated the defendant was only just getting started and had plans to market 40-50 hides per month to a broker in Korea."

According to authorities, Rowland had researched the regulations and laws governing sea otters by anonymously contacting various government agencies. They say he used the information to help conceal his crimes.

Authorities also said Rowland researched sea otter biology and population distribution studies in Southeast Alaska to learn the best areas to target larger concentrations of animals.

Rowland will be on supervised release for three years following the completion of the 37-month prison sentence.

• The Associated Press contributed to this report.