Lonnie M. Ray, President of Cowart Seafood, Inc. was sentenced to 25 months in federal prison for illegal fish sales and illegal possession of an unregistered, 12-gauge double-barrel sawed-off shotgun.
Ray failed to report seafood purchases to the Department of Marine Resources, a violation of the Lacey Act, which makes it unlawful to sell in interstate commerce any fish taken in violation of state law.
Ray also admitted to buying fish from recreational fisherman, another violation of state law.
