August 5, 2009
TorontoMan Sentenced to Jail Under Species at Risk Act

SARNIA, Ont. -- Pak Sun Chung of Toronto, Ontario, pleaded guilty yesterday in the Ontario Court of Justice – Sarnia/Lambton Court on two counts of unlawfully capturing Blanding’s turtles and a spotted turtle contrary to the Species at Risk Act. Mr. Chung was apprehended with 26 live Blanding’s turtles and one spotted turtle. He was sentenced to nine months in jail and given three years’ probation.

Mr. Chung was arrested on August 23, 2007 in a joint operation by Environment Canada and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources officers. He was charged with the unlawful capture and unlawful possession of the turtles, which were taken from the waters of the Walpole Island First Nation.

Kung Wing So of Toronto, who was arrested with Mr. Chung, was fined $10,000 and given three years’ probation on September 10, 2008. The fine was directed to the Environmental Damages Fund. So’s conviction was the first under the Species at Risk Act in Ontario.

For more information, please click here.