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Clark Mason A San Francisco man was sentenced Thursday to six months in jail and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine for conspiring to take abalone illegally from the Sonoma Coast. Chingpin Ou, 34, also will forfeit a 1997 BMW sedan that was used to transport abalone as part of the sentence imposed by Sonoma County Judge Elaine Watters. Ou is one of four people arrested last year during a sweep targeting suspected poachers. Authorities said Ou bought abalone from two divers, including Sau Van Pham, who was sentenced last week to three months in jail. The two men pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy. Three co-defendants are scheduled for trial next month. Ou told officials he gave away most of the abalone, but admitted selling about 55 of them. With prices on the black market averaging $80 to $100 per abalone, prosecutor Brooke Halsey said Ou made substantial money. He urged the judge to impose a longer sentence -- nine months in jail -- to send a message that could help protect the dwindling abalone population. It is illegal to harvest abalone for commercial purposes. Sport fisherman are limited to three per day and 100 a year, but there is a proposal to reduce the catch to two per day and 30 per year. |