Yates served 30 days following a federal jury trial, judgment and sentencing on charges that he destroyed fish in an effort to obstruct an investigation into what the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration claimed were under-sized red grouper on Yates’ boat.
He was convicted on two of three counts in August, four years after a government agent boarded his boat to search for illegal fish. Yates was found guilty of one count of disposing under-sized fish to prevent the government’s seizure, and a second count of destroying fish to obstruct an investigation of under-sized red grouper.
Even now, after serving the sentence, Yates believes his case is not close to over. His attorney filed a notice to appeal Dec. 16, and the appeal is expected to last another two years.
Asked why Yates is appealing, there’s a simple answer, “Because I didn’t do it.”
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