Four Arrested Friday in DFG Delta Poaching Case

California Department of Fish & Game

Four Arrested Friday in DFG Delta Poaching Case

Contact:
Capt. Brian Naslund, DFG Enforcement, (916) 838-7426
Harry Morse, DFG Office of Communications, (916) 322-8962
Kyle Orr, DFG Office of Communications, (916) 322-8958

Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens today arrested four individuals suspected of illegally harvesting and selling sport-caught fish from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Sport-caught fish are caught for recreational purposes only and are not to be sold.

“The Department of Fish and Game works diligently to protect the fish populations in the fragile Delta ecosystem,” said DFG Chief Nancy Foley. “Illegal take and sale of this valuable resource jeopardizes conservation efforts by the department and our partners.”

Wardens obtained a search warrant and four felony arrest warrants from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office for conspiracy and the sale of sport-caught fish.

Thirteen wardens executed the warrant and two felony arrest warrants at 3502 Novara Way in Stockton while five wardens served two felony arrest warrants at 8404 Dartford Dr. in Sacramento. Evidence seized from the suspects included one 14-foot aluminum fishing boat, 36 bags of blue gill, each bag containing about 20 fish, commercial quantities of individually packaged striped bass with weights marked on each package, and two scales used to weigh fish.

The investigation began in September when DFG’s Delta Bay Enhanced Enforcement Unit received anonymous tips claiming a group was illegally catching and selling a variety of fish species from the Delta.

Wardens followed up on the information and observed the suspects involved in what appeared to be the illegal commercialization of several sport fish species. The individuals caught the fish under the authority of a sport fishing license and then transported them to locations in Elk Grove and South Sacramento where they were illegally sold.

“This is another example of the Department of Fish and Game’s ongoing effort to protect California’s sport fish from illegal commercialization and poaching,” said DFG Capt. Brian Naslund. During the past year, other groups have been arrested by Fish and Game for the illegal commercialization of striped bass and sturgeon taken from the Delta river system.

Charged and arrested were, Tam Thi Dang, 46, of Sacramento, Dong Van Le, 48, of Sacramento, Thiet Van Nguyen, 50, of Stockton, and Nguyen Doan Thi Hui, 50, of Stockton. Three of the suspects were booked into the Rio Consumnes Correctional Center in South Sacramento and one was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail. The maximum penalty for a conviction of Penal Code Section 182 (a) (1), (Conspiracy) is $10,000 and up to one year in state prison or county jail. The maximum fine for a violation of Fish and Game Code 7121 (Sale of sport caught fish) is $7,500.

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