Belhaven man pleads guilty to illegal harvest

Published 6:35 pm Wednesday, April 5, 2017

WILMINGTON — A Belhaven man is one of three people who pled guilty to charges for illegal harvest and sale of Atlantic striped bass.

Bryan H. Daniels, 54, of Tate Road in Belhaven, pled guilty in federal court on Monday, along with Stephen Daniels, 63, of Wanchese, and James K. Lewis, 46, of Gloucester, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Daniels is one of 13 other commercial fishermen who were charged in 2015 for illegal activity spanning across 2009 and 2010.

A press release states that Daniels harvested about 8,625 pounds of Atlantic striped bass from Feb. 27, 2009, to Feb. 2, 2010, in restricted federal waters as captain of the “Joyce D.” The Department of Justice estimates the retail value of the striped bass as more than $68,000.

“When people cheat the system, it hurts those who follow the rules the most,” Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, previously stated.

A few other local fishermen also pled guilty this year: John Roberts, of Engelhard, pled guilty Feb. 7; Ellis Leon Gibbs Jr., of Engelhard, pled guilty Jan. 23; Dwayne J. Hopkins, of Belhaven, pled guilty Jan. 23.

Gibbs and Hopkins are scheduled for sentencing on April 24, and Roberts is scheduled on May 8.

A date for Daniels’ sentencing has yet to be determined, according to the release. He also faces charges for lying to authorities.

“Bryan H. Daniels submitted false statements for two of three fishing trips charged in the Indictment, and under 3 penalty of perjury to NOAA, claimed he caught the fish in state waters,” the release stated.

Daniels faces up to five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.