Press Release

California Man Sentenced for Taking Brown Bears Out of Season and Failing to Salvage

September 21, 2017

(ANCHORAGE, AK) – On Tuesday, September 19, 2017 Griffen Fales, of Chico, California, entered guilty pleas to two counts of taking a brown bear out of season, two counts of failing to salvage brown bears, and one count of hunting deer without a tag, pursuant to a plea agreement.

The case originated when a local Admiralty Island hunting guide contacted Alaska Wildlife Troopers to report that he discovered a carcass of a sow brown bear in Pybus Bay on Admiralty Island. The Trooper investigation revealed that Griffen Fales, who was working on a fishing vessel in the area, had in fact killed two bears in Pybus Bay. Fales made no effort to salvage either bear. In communications obtained by the Troopers, Fales stated that he did not purchase a hunting license or nonresident big game tags because he did not want to pay for them.

Magistrate Judge Desiree Burrell accepted the agreement that called for Fales to pay a fine of $30,000 with $20,000 suspended, pay $3,000 in restitution, and receive thirty days of jail time that is all suspended. Additionally, Fales’ hunting license was revoked for a period of five years and he was placed on probation for a period of one year. The hunting license revocation will be entered into the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.  As a result, Fales’ hunting license will be revoked in the 48 Compact member states.

The case was investigated by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Petersburg, Alaska. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Aaron Peterson of the Alaska Department of Law, Office of Special Prosecutions.

CONTACT: Assistant Attorney General Aaron Peterson at (907) 269-6250.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.