# fishing criminals on lake erie caught



## double trouble (Nov 20, 2003)

INDICTMENTS FILED AGAINST LAKE ERIE COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN 
Fourteen individuals and five businesses charged with racketeering, money laundering

Felony indictments were filed Wednesday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court against 14 individuals and five businesses associated with Ohios commercial fishing industry.

The licensed commercial fishermen and fish wholesale businesses involved allegedly took more yellow perch from Lake Erie than their quotas allowed, filed false reports, and sold unreported yellow perch. Each defendant could face up to 10 years in prison, plus a $25,000 fine if convicted of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity - a first-degree felony and the most serious of the charges involved.

Since 1996, Lake Eries yellow perch have been managed through a quota system. Quotas are set in order to balance Ohios share of the lakes yellow perch harvest between sport anglers and commercial fishermen. Commercial fishermen are required to keep accurate and legible catch reports and to stay within their licensed yellow perch quota in a given year. Safe harvest levels of yellow perch are determined by fisheries biologists to maintain healthy fish populations and provide quality fishing opportunities on Lake Erie.

Lake Eries yellow perch fishery is cooperatively managed by five agencies: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

A list of individuals and businesses charged follows:

Richard Stinson, 41, Castalia - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (2 counts), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Orville Stinson, 66, of Port Clinton - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (2 counts), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Lori Colvin, 41, Oak Harbor - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Billy Mitchell, 48, Port Clinton - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (2 counts), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Michael Maloney, 25, Port Clinton - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (2 counts), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Mark Mitchell, 31, Port Clinton - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (2 counts), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Joseph Smith, 36, Sandusky - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (1 count), forgery (1 count), uttering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Elizabeth Smith, 43, Sandusky - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (1 count), forgery (1 count), uttering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Roy Greene, 45, Vermillion - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (1 count), forgery (1 count), uttering (1 count), and tampering with records (1 count)

Darlene Ernande, 44, Vermillion - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

Vito Ernande, 47, Vermillion - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

Gary Rowan, 54, Painsville - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

Dale Trent Jr., 43, Port Clinton - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

Craig Carr, 39, Oak Harbor - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

Port Clinton Fish, Inc, Port Clinton - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (2 counts), forgery (2 counts), uttering (2 counts), tampering with records (2 counts), receiving stolen property, (2 counts), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Smith Fisheries, Inc., Sandusky - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), theft (1 count), forgery (1 count), uttering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and possessing criminal tools (1 count)

Westwater Fisheries, Inc., Vermillion - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

State Fish, Inc., Cleveland - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1 count)

Lake Fish, Inc., Sandusky - engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (1 count), money laundering (1 count), tampering with records (1 count), and receiving stolen property (1


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## THETOOLMAN (Oct 23, 2003)

looks loke they cleanned that mess up! what does this mean? uttering ?


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Where's your source link for the story?


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## Rondevous (Mar 14, 2005)

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/news/jun05/0603indictments.htm


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Thanks, I needed to pass the info on and I knew I'd be asked for the source.


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

THETOOLMAN said:


> looks loke they cleanned that mess up! what does this mean? uttering ?



Uttering= 
In english, Passing False document, Most times it is a Check and also involves Forgery. .....In this case might be something to do with tampering with the records.....

Mal.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

State agents reel in illegal commercial fishing Nov. 14, 2005

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/13165880.htm

CLEVELAND - Like secret agents, state wildlife officers hid in weedy fields and among trees along Lake Erie, aiming high-powered camera lenses at the docks where commercial fishing boats unload their haul.

The officers documented each day's catch on film and in log books.

The result: Prosecutors have struck the first round of plea bargains against commercial fishermen in the largest criminal case brought by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Some are blaming those commercial fisherman for the downturn in the once booming sport fishing on Lake Erie.

A caller tipped wildlife officer Kevin Ramsey on Nov. 22, 2002, that some commercial fishermen on the lake's Western and Central basins caught and sold tons of yellow perch in excess of their quotas. A surveillance operation began the following May.

"It was extremely tedious," he said. "Sometimes we'd do crossword puzzles, sit around and wait. We couldn't leave because we didn't know when the boats might be back."

Ramsey's eight-officer unit says it documented 40 tons of yellow perch, with a value of nearly $1 million, being caught and sold in excess of quotas in 2002 and 2003.

He netted five fishing companies and 14 commercial fishermen on racketeering, theft and money laundering charges.

"I guess you could say that before this case the penalties hadn't been a deterrent," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason. "It was really pretty unbelievable what they accomplished."

Four defendants pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against three others, who face up to 10 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines if they are convicted. Their trial is scheduled for Dec. 5.

A second case is moving more slowly, with no trial date set.

Judge Nancy Margaret Russo ordered the plea bargainers to pay $86,500 in restitution and $2,750 in fines.

The restitution included 940 pounds of seized yellow perch, which was donated to the Cleveland Foodbank.

The charges brought to the forefront the argument over what is best for Lake Erie fishing, and who owns the stocks of walleye, perch, bass and trout.

Sport fishermen have been bumping heads with commercial netters and blowing the whistle on suspected abuse for decades, typically with little results.

"Their incentive to cheat is unbelievable," said Jerry Abele, captain of the Headhunter charter fishing boat and a veteran of 40 years on the lake.

Larry Davis, 67, a third-generation commercial fisherman, resents being lumped with the others.

"Our enforcement in Ohio is much better than that, believe me," Davis said. "They watch us very closely, as it should be. I have no qualms with that."

Charter boat captain Mike Matta shares Abele's competitive opposition to commercial fishing but is more diplomatic.

"My main problem is with the disparity of the fines," Matta said. "I hope the judge understands that, as a sportsman, I would have to pay a hefty price if I made a mistake. Historically, the commercial guys haven't paid their fair share."

Ramsey said more charges are expected.

"We're not even half done," Ramsey said. "There's a lot more folks, with bigger criminal cases pending."

If convicted, some of the state's 12 commercial fishermen may be forced to forfeit their licenses - precious papers that could be worth more than $1 million on the open market, Ramsey said.


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