Two Southeast residents and two Southcentral residents are being charged with illegal transportation and possession of marine mammals as a part of an ongoing case pursued by federal investigators.
Raymond Chatham, 65, of Edna Bay; Joshua Wodyga, 31, of Ketchikan; John Boone, 55, of Valdez; and David Johnson, 53, of Anchorage are being charged with violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Chatham is accused of illegally transporting 87 dead sea otters and possessing 14 sea otter skulls.
Wodyga and Johnson were each charged with illegally selling a hide, Boone allegedly sold two hides, and Johnson also allegedly sold a raw walrus tusk that had not been turned into a handicraft.
U.S. Attorneys say the incidents occurred in 2008. They say the investigation has already resulted in others being sentenced for illegal taking or sale of marine mammal parts
