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Kurt Ward, 43 and Joshua Holt, 34 were arrested May 22, 2004 in Albion,
Mendocino County California in possession of 468 illegally harvested red abalone,
and booked into Mendocino County Jail in Ukiah on Felony Conspiracy charges.
Subsequent to entering guilty pleas, On June 30, 2004 Ward and Holt were convicted of Felony Conspiracy and sentenced to two years in State Prison, severely fined, had their boat and other diving equipment confiscated and permanently barred from either commercial or sport fishing for the rest of their lives. The judge noted that he had received a number of letters from the community urging the imposition on the poachers of severe penalties. If you had written a letter to the Court you can be sure that your opinion was heard and acted upon! Let us all hope that potential future poachers hear and learn about the severe consequences of poaching and choose a different means of making a living. Santa Rosa Press Democrat article on the sentencing of Ward-Holt S.C.A.N.'s Letter to the Court Background News Reports of the arrest and apprehensionSan Francisco Chronicle |