
A Freeport man is set to be sentenced Friday in a Houston federal
court for lying to federal agents about a massive and unauthorized red
snapper haul last March.
Jamal Marshall, 36, who was only licensed for
recreational fishing, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 for lying to federal
agents about hundreds of fish he'd brought in.
He had 488 red snapper and 154 vermilion snapper on board
the vessel when stopped by officials, a gross violation of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) catch limits. The fish
had a market value of $30,000.
But Marshall also admitted he had sold $35,000 worth of fish to Houston-area restaurants.
Another defendant, Jacob Brown, 35, of Lake Jackson was sentenced on Nov. 29 to three years of supervised release for lying about the same fishing trip.
Marshall's attorney could not be reached for comment about the sentencing.