October 3, 2017 — The man regarded as the founder of Maine’s elver fishery will plead guilty to violating federal law by trafficking in more than half a million dollars worth of poached baby eels.
Bill Sheldon and federal prosecutors reached the agreement on Sunday. Sheldon has waived his right to appeal any sentence that includes a prison term of 30 months or less.
The plea agreement does not say whether Sheldon and prosecutors may have discussed a fine, but under federal law, Sheldon could face a maximum fine of $250,000.
Sheldon bought elvers, or baby eels, that he knew had been caught in New Jersey and Virginia, where the fishery is banned, prosecutors have said. Over the course of the 2011 through 2014 elver fishing seasons, Sheldon allegedly bought and sold 281 pounds of poached elvers, worth about $545,000, according to court documents.
Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News