SONOMA COUNTY, California (15 Jan 2009) — Fish and Game Warden Joe Laugesen thought something was odd as he quizzed the Sonoma County scuba diver near Fort Ross, especially since he recognized the man as a suspect in an abalone poaching case. But after finding nothing amiss, Laugesen sent the diver, Charles Lester Miller IV, 20, and an associate, Michael Ray Phipps, 19, on their way. The warden then conducted a search, and after discovering a sack of abalone stashed on the beach, staked out the area for hours. His adrenaline was surging as five men returned after midnight in two cars. "They went through extensive effort to conduct counter-surveillance by switching cars, passing the area multiple times, searching for lookouts," said Warden Patrick Foy. "Two and a half hours later, the suspected team of poachers finally stopped to recover their stash of abalone." The five departed, followed by Laugesen down Highway 1. It wasn't long before the suspects, realizing a warden was on their tail, began tossing abalone out the window. "In his headlights, Warden Laugesen saw an abalone ejected from the window of the vehicle as the driver sped down Highway 1," Foy said. "Soon after, a heavy duffel bag was pitched from the window, then a backpack, then another backpack." Officers last Friday arrested the five Santa Rosa men on suspicion of felony conspiracy to poach abalone for commercial sale, among other violations. | | Officers arrested Charles Lester Miller IV, 20, Michael Ray Phipps, 19, Joshua Cowan Berto, 19, Joshua William Stockman, 19, and Colin Robert Devlin, 20 who face $40,000 fines and jail time. Those arrested included Joshua Cowan Berto, 19, Joshua William Stockman, 19, and Colin Robert Devlin, 20. Wardens recovered 31 abalone dumped along Highway 1. Miller, a suspect in a pending abalone poaching case, and the others face fines that could run as high as $40,000, and jail time as well, although judges have wide discretion in imposing penalties and often let poachers off easy. by NELS JOHNSON |
