Unlawful Buying & Selling of Fish & Crab, Sept. 11

Two Astoria men pled guilty last month and were sentenced in three different counties following an Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish & Wildlife Division investigation into unlawful purchasing and selling of fish and crab. In January 2012, OSP Fish & Wildlife troopers began an investigation involving two men who operated Oceanic Logistics, LLC, identified as DANA MICHAEL FERGUSON, age 51, and SEAN MICHAEL FERGUSON, age 26. The company did not have a wholesale fish dealer license due to unpaid State landing fees. During 2012 and 2013, the men bought and sold fish unlawfully without a wholesale fish dealer license. In an effort to disguise the illegal activity, a monetary deal was made with another fish dealer to document illegal fish purchases on the other dealer’s assigned State fish receiving ticket. The unlawful purchases and sales were made in Astoria, Winchester Bay, and Charleston. Most of the illegal purchases involved Dungeness crab, which is a highly competitive market. In August 2014, the men pled guilty and were sentenced in Clatsop, Douglas, and Coos counties as follows: DANA FERGUSON * Clatsop County – Pled guilty to 2 counts of No Wholesale Fish Dealer’s License & 2 counts of Falsifying Business Records (both class A misdemeanors). Sentenced to 5 years bench probation and fined $1,000. * Douglas County – Pled no contest to 2 counts of No Wholesale Fish Dealer’s License (violation). Sentenced to 5 years bench probation. * Coos County – Pled guilty to 3 counts of No Wholesale Fish Dealer’s License and 2 counts of Falsifying Business Records (both class A misdemeanors). Sentenced to 5 years bench probation and fined $24,000 (fine is joint sentence with SEAN FERGUSON). SEAN FERGUSON * Clatsop County – Pled no contest to 2 counts of No Wholesale Fish Dealer’s License (class A misdemeanor). Sentenced to 5 years bench probation and fined $1,600. * Douglas County – Pled no contest to 2 counts of No Wholesale Fish Dealer’s License (violation). Sentenced to 5 years bench probation. * Coos County – Pled guilty to 3 counts of No Wholesale Fish Dealer’s License and 2 counts of Falsifying Business Records (both class A misdemeanors). Sentenced to 5 years bench probation and fined $24,000 (fine is joint sentence with DANA FERGUSON).