Jessie Anariak, age 50, was sentenced for his part in the illegal taking of Walrus on Round Island in May of 2011 in the United States District Court in Anchorage, it was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office on Tuesday.

Anariak, along with his co-defendant, Sixty Arkanakyak, were indicted on Federal charges in December of 2012 for the May 2011 incident.

According to the indictment, the two men left Togiak on May 9th and travelled to Round Island, one of seven islands in a group that are a designated as Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary for walrus in the north Bristol Bay area.

Once they arrived at the island, the two men beached their Lund skiff and approached a herd of walrus that were on the island. Once they determined they were close enough, Arkanakyak and Anariak opened fire on the herd of walruses using 12 gauge shotguns. During the incident, at least five walrus were wounded. The gunfire caused the herd to stampede and during the stampede four of the wounded walrus followed the rest of the herd into the sea.

One of the wounded walrus failed to escape and the two men corraled the animal against a cliff and shot it in the head until it died.

After shooting the animal, the two men hacked the tusks from the walrus and left the rest of the animal on the beach and returned to Togiak according to Arkanakyak’s admission.

Wildlife troopers were notified on the dasy of the violations that two men were observed approaching the federally protected island in a skiff. Alaska Wildlife troopers departed by aircraft to the community of Togiak, where they met the two men as they made landfall at the community. It was then that the men were positively identified as Jessie Y. Arnariak and Sixty M Arkanakyak.

Three days later Alaska Wildlife officers were able to make it to Round Island to interview the witnesses that saw the incident there. Subsequently, Sixty M. Arkanakyak was located in Togiak and served citations for Alcohol Importation, Violation of 5AAC 92.066, Wanton Waste, and misconduct involving a weapon. He appeared in Dillingham Court on May 17th, 2011.

Prior to the guilty plea of Arnariak in the state case, Sixty Arkanakyak, was sentenced in October, 2011 on state charges of Importation x3, Discharge of a Weapon in a Game Sanctuary, and Misconduct Involving a Weapon. He received 410 days in jail with 240 suspended, 170 days to serve. and a $3,000 fine and forfeiture.

On his state charges, Arnariak received a sentence of 610 days with 340 suspended with 270 to serve, a $7,500 fine and forfeiture of all items seized. He is also resposible for adhering to all other requirements involving the DUI charge.

Anariak was sentenced this week in Federal Court by District Court Judge Sharon Gleason to 15 months imprisonment for illegal taking of a walrus from Round Island in the Federal case.

Arkanakyak plead guilty to the illegal taking of a walrus from Round Island, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in August, 2013, by the Judge Gleason to a term of 30 months imprisonment.