Five commercial fishermen working the waters near Yakutat have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring to illegally harvest halibut.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska said on Aug. 4 that the indictments were handed down on July 17 in Juneau, with all five summons executed at the end of July. 

Michael Babic, 42, of Cordova, Jonathan Pavik, 42, Yakutat, Vincent Jackson 52, of Yakutat, Kyle Dierick, 36, of Yakutat, and Timothy Ross, 58, of Washington state, all experienced commercial fishermen, conspired to illegally harvest halibut near Yakutat on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

They are all due in court within the next week for their initial arraignments in U.S. District Court in Juneau. 

Court documents allege that Pavlik conspired with Jacobson, Dierick, Babic and Ross to illegally harvest and land halibut, including each defendant landing halibut without having been aboard the vessel at all times during the fishing trips, a violation of federal law and regulations.

The indictment alleges that all five men intentionally falsely reported that the halibut caught was creditable to their respective individual fishing quota permit balances. Pavlik and the four co-conspirators allegedly are responsible for the more than 10,700 pounds of illegally harvested halibut.

The indictment further alleges that between Aug. 31, 2023, and Oct. 11, 2023, Pavlik sold and intentionally made false statements regarding more than 9,600 pounds of halibut caught on the Bad Intentions but illegally transferred to the New Era before landing for sale.

Pavlik is charged with four counts of conspiracy, five counts of unlawful sale, and five counts of false labeling. Jacobson, Dierick, Babic and Ross are each charged with one count of conspiracy. 

If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison for each count and up to a $250,000 fine.