Local & State Headlines

Feds: Fish fraud nets local men

• Two Miller County men are among a group accused of violating U.S. and Florida game fish laws.

J.D. Sumner

ALBANY — Two Miller County men were indicted along with a group of Florida fishermen after federal agents discovered the group was buying and selling fish without licenses and, in some cases, intentionally labeling foreign fish as more common, domestic varieties.

James L. Stovall and Guy S. Stovall of Colquitt were indicted along with James Nations Jr., Jeffery B. Cannon, Gary D. Brown, Eric Donald Woods and Robbie Jenkins after federal agents say the group conspired to acquire and purchase thousands of pounds of fish that were caught illegally, according to court documents.

The Stovalls, who the documents say owned Road Runner Seafood Inc. and Road Runner Retail Inc. in Colquitt, allegedly bought a variety of fish species, including speckled trout, red snapper and black grouper, from the others who were unlicensed saltwater fishermen.

The Stovalls are also accused of buying more exotic species like shark, grunt, black sea bass, mangrove snapper and porgies, all in violation of U.S. and Florida law.

According to the indictment, prosecutors believe the Stovalls knowingly mislabeled exotic species of fish like Swai fillets (Vietnamese catfish) and Vietnam Conger Pike fillets as more common varieties like grouper and Basa fillets.

Officials with the court clerk’s office said that an initial appearance for the men has been scheduled for Aug. 13.

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