Man faces federal charges in sea turtle killing

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, November 20, 2003

TACOMA — An Ocean Park man has been charged in the killing of a green sea turtle he is accused of finding on a beach in February 2001.

Burt Jenkins, 54, was charged with two counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, one for collecting and killing the sea turtle, the other for keeping the shell.

Jenkins was also charged Tuesday with one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits transporting wildlife taken in violation of federal law.

The criminal charges were filed by the U.S. Justice Department’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division.

The maximum punishment is a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Jenkins could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Linda Sullivan with the public defender’s office in Tacoma, declined comment.

The turtle was spotted on the beach at Ocean Park by a volunteer with the Wildlife Center, a rehabilitation group. The volunteer went home to get his cell phone, and when he returned, there were tire tracks leading to where the turtle had been, said Craig Sparks, director of the Ocean Park center.

A reward for information was offered in the Chinook Observer, a local weekly newspaper. That went unanswered for 10 months, until a woman rolling up newspaper for a fire spotted the ad and reported Jenkins, Sparks said.

The turtle’s shell was found in Jenkins’ house, federal officials said.

Arraignment was scheduled Dec. 5.

Green sea turtles are found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In the Pacific, they typically range from Mexico up to northern California, but can be found as far north as southern Alaska. The animals can live 100 years, reach more than 3 feet in length and weigh as much as 400 pounds.

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