Video: Men caught on tape pulling giant sea bass onto O.C. shore plead guilty
The two fishermen who hauled a massive black sea bass to shore at the Balboa Pier have pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 120 hours of community service.
They had faced up to six months in jail for catching the endangered species. Prosecutors had charged the two with misdemeanor possession of a black sea bass after they were videotaped with the fish, and their images landed on YouTube.
Orange County Commissioner Richard E. Pacheco agreed to the plea bargain, which reduced their violation to an infraction. Prosecutors objected to the plea bargain, according to Orange County district attorney's office spokeswoman Farrah Emami.
Jon Apothaker of Valley Village was fishing on the pier while John Brady of Huntington Beach was fishing below the pier in a small boat in January 2010 when Apothaker got a bite. It was a giant black sea bass, more than 5 feet long and weighing between 140 and 200 pounds.
Anglers plead guilty in endangered fish death
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Anglers plead guilty in endangered fish death
EDITOR'S PICKS:
that's a very lenient deal obviously they have been doing this and they will have no problem doing it again with a slap on the wrist like that they need some real jail time and a compensatory fine!
Posted by: shadowpark | March 18, 2011 at 08:34 AM
How can it be a "plea" deal if the prosecutors objected to it? I don't get it. So the prosecutor "pretend" to object on the record, but agree in spirit to allow the plea to go through so that the prosecutor can technically say "I was against this bogus plea deal." ??
Doesn't make sense how this worked out at all. Isn't a "plea" by definition an agreement between the defendant and the prosecution, and the court approves of this deal?
Posted by: TrojanDLA | March 18, 2011 at 09:24 AM
EVERYBODY knows that the seas are virtually empty of fish because of guys who fish from piers... Liberals are such total idiots!!!
Posted by: Joe | March 18, 2011 at 09:35 AM
what do you expect? Californians are stupid. Catching an endangered fish by accident is one thing, killing it in front of cheering crowds is another. It could have been revived and released but Californians are much too stupid. Too bad Nancy Pelosi doesn't have her plane anymore. She could have flown it to the White House for Barry and fam to enjoy.tsk,tsk.
Posted by: Derek | March 18, 2011 at 09:37 AM
This is disturbing! People need to be better educated on what they are and are not allowed to fish for in California. I think you should have to take a test before being given a recreational fishing license. This is appalling!
Shadowpark, you are so right.
Posted by: OceanLove | March 18, 2011 at 09:48 AM
A compensatory fine? To compensate the fish?
Posted by: madsircool | March 18, 2011 at 09:51 AM
nothing happened to them because they are WHITE
Posted by: dee gee | March 18, 2011 at 10:13 AM
These guys should have gotten a much harsher sentence.
No wonder kids grow up acting as if they are immune to consequences--the grownups in their life are!
Makes me sick at the lack of justice in our state!
These were not high-school pimply-faced youths who didn't know the difference (although even then, ignorance is not a defense!) among different types of fish. These were grown men who knew what they were doing was wrong.
Posted by: Cyndy Greger | March 18, 2011 at 10:20 AM
I am a conservative not a liberal! how is is liberal to not enforce our laws this is a blatant offense caught on video the reason you enforce laws children is to make an example for others so they think twice before breaking them ok school is out joe.
I believe we need to have strict enforcement of our laws no matter what !I enjoy fishing and I have worked on many fishing boats in San Pedro as a youngster if we don't conserve our resources then my son and his children will not have the opportunities I enjoyed.
Posted by: shadowpark | March 18, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Thankfully people were videotaping and they did get some consequences.
Posted by: Cyndy Greger | March 18, 2011 at 10:22 AM
What a shame they didn't cut it free and get it back to the water. I wish they had to do some time behind it, then erhaps they wouldn't do it again.
Posted by: BEACHGIRLSC | March 18, 2011 at 10:47 AM
jeesh, everyone so critical. I am guessing that they were super excited to have caught such a huge fish from this location. They likely did not know precisely what it was until too late..... there is certainly some negligence here but not a big deal. All seems appropriate to me
Posted by: Fred | March 18, 2011 at 01:15 PM
p.s. can we stop with immediately jumping on liberal or conservative for every story regardless of content?
Posted by: Fred | March 18, 2011 at 01:16 PM