67-year-old Fairbanks resident Leslie P Zerbe was sentenced for a misdemeanor violation of the Lacey Act after pleading guilty to the charge of Interstate Transport of Unlawfully Taken and Possessed Wildlife, it was announced on Monday.

Zerbe was sentenced immediately after his guilty plea to a fine of $10,000. Zerbe was also ordered by the court not to hunt for a period of two years, and not be with anyone who is hunting or to support or assist anyone hunting during that period.

In his plea agreement, Zerbe admitted that he and a friend from Michigan hunted and took a moose in the Ferry Trail Management area of Game Management Unit 20A in 2009. Zerbe and his Michigan friend took a moose that had antlers just over 42 inches wide with only three brow tines on each side. In that area, Alaska law prohibits taking a moose with antlers less than 50 inches wide or, regardless of width, with at least four brow tines on one side. Zerbe, who has a wilderness cabin less than 2 miles from where to kill occurred, stated that he previously hunted in that area for several years, and knew of the restriction.

Because the kill violated state law, Zerbe violated federal law when he shipped those antlers from Alaska to his friend in Michigan.

Alaska State troopers initiated the investigation in 2009, but then referred the case to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service because of the federal violation. Federal agents gained possession of the antlers, and also located and traveled to the kill site where they collected evidence that linked the antlers to that site.

“The Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting America’s wildlife resources. The sentence imposed by the court sends a message that such violations of wildlife law will be not be tolerated,” said Ryan Noel, the acting Special Agent in Charge of the United States Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Office for Alaska.

  Alaska, antlers, Lacey act, Moose, sentencing, violation