Wasilla big-game guide sentenced

Frontiersman staff

FAIRBANKS — A Wasilla big-game hunting guide who allowed clients to illegally take a grizzly bear and Dall sheep in 1998 was sentenced earlier this month in federal court in Fairbanks for four violations of a federal law which makes it illegal to transport or sell wildlife taken in violation of state law, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service release.

William Burwell operated a guide business named Ram Creek Outfitters within the boundaries of the Tetlin Indian Reservation — southeast of Tok and adjacent to the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge and the Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

Investigators determined that during the 1998 hunting season, Burwell allowed three clients to take Dall sheep and a grizzly bear in violation of a state law requiring nonresident hunters to be accompanied by a licensed guide or assistant guide.

A fourth violation occurred when one of Burwell's clients accidentally shot two Dall sheep. Burwell did not report the illegal second animal as required by Alaska law and instead charged the client an additional fee for taking the second sheep.

Burwell was subsequently charged in federal court, since the illegal animals were either transported or sold in interstate commerce in violation of the Lacey Act.

He must serve three years' probation, including six months of home confinement with electronic monitoring.

Burwell was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and will not be allowed to hunt, guide or accompany anyone who is hunting or guiding in any location during the term of his probation.

As part of his plea agreement, Burwell agreed to forfeit his Piper Super Cub aircraft to the Montana Division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Burwell had previously pleaded guilty to four Lacey Act counts of unlawful sale of wildlife in interstate commerce. The charges stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Tok office of the Alaska State Troopers, Fish and Wildlife Protection Division and the Fairbanks office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Law Enforcement.