Branden Trager, of Brush Prairie, and his guiding company Mayhem Services LLC pleaded guilty this week in federal court in Tacoma to violating the Lacey Act.
In pleading guilty, Trager admitted he and Mayhem Services violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) during a January 2023 hunting trip in Western Washington and then transported the taken birds in violation of the Lacey Act, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice.
Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act prohibits wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. Trager also acknowledged that in 2022 he brought hunters into British Columbia, Canada, where he guided waterfowl hunting trips targeting the harlequin duck. He could not operate as a hunting guide under Canadian law.
The harlequin duck is a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia.
According to plea agreements filed in court, the recommended fines are $100,000 for Trager and $75,000 for Mayhem Services. The parties also agreed to recommend that the court order the defendants to make a public statement expressing contrition and emphasizing the importance of hunting, guiding and wildlife regulations. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
