Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited four men for alleged commercial crabbing violations in St. Mary Parish.
Agents say they arrested 53-year-old Ephie Dupre of Morgan City for theft of crabs and using crab traps without required markinAugust 22, 2018 in St. Mary Parish. Agents seized 94 blue crabs and returned them to the water.
Agents booked Dupre into the St. Mary Parish Jail.
On August 23, 2018, agents say they arrested 63-year-old Gerald Brecheen of Morgan City for theft of crab traps, theft of crabs, and using crab traps without required markings.
Agents seized six crab traps and about six dozen blue crabs, which were returned to the water.
Agents booked Brecheen into the St. Mary Parish Jail.
Agents also cited 41-year-old Matthew Giroir of Morgan City for theft of crab traps and seized one crab trap on August 24, 2018.
On August 29, 2018, agents cited 73-year-old John McCloy Jr. of Patterson for theft of crabs, selling to consumers without a fresh products license, failing to maintain records, and failing to complete trip ticket information.
Using crab traps without the required markings, theft of crab traps and theft of crabs each brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail for each offense.
Selling to consumers without a fresh products license, failing to complete trip tickets and failing to maintain records each carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each offense.
