53-Year-Old Texas Man Cited in Louisiana for Multiple Commercial Fishing Violations, ID Theft, and Other Alleged Violations

Louisiana - A 53-year-old Texas man has been cited in Louisiana for multiple commercial fishing violations, ID theft, and other alleged violations.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) reported on February 20, 2023, that at the end of 2022, enforcement agents cited a Texas man for alleged commercial fishing offenses in Cameron and East Baton Rouge parishes.

Jimmy Dyson Jr., 53, of Nacogdoches, Texas, was cited for criminal conspiracy, taking or selling commercial fish without a commercial fishing license, taking or possessing commercial fish without a vessel license, taking commercial fish without a commercial gear license, failing to complete trip tickets, obtaining a license by fraud, injuring public records, and identity theft.

In December 2021, agents began investigating Dyson Jr. for illegal commercial harvesting and sale of shrimp in Cameron Parish. Throughout the inquiry, investigators discovered that Dyson Jr. was barred from obtaining any LDWF licenses and that he obtained his commercial licenses by impersonating someone else.

Authorities discovered that Dyson collected and sold seafood without a valid commercial fishing license on multiple occasions throughout 2021.

Taking or selling commercial fish without a commercial fishing license, a commercial vessel license or a commercial gear license is punishable by a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Failure to complete trip tickets and acquiring a license by deception are punishable by a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each offense.

Identity theft is punishable by a $10,000 fine and ten years in prison. Injuring public records and filing false public records is punishable by a $5,000 fine and up to five years in jail for each crime.

Dyson Jr. could also face $53,747 in civil restitution for the replacement value of the illegally harvested and sold seafood.

Lt. Davis Madere, Lt. Beau Robertson, Sgt. David Sanford, and Sgt. Stuart Guillory are the agents involved in the investigation.