A Toronto man who pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawfully capturing protected turtles has been sentenced to nine months in jail and three months probation on federal wildlife charges.
Court in Sarnia, Ont., heard Pak Sun Chung was found in possession of 26 Blanding's turtles and a spotted turtle in August 2007, contrary to the federal Species at Risk Act.
He also received 106 days in jail and a lifetime ban from hunting or fishing in Ontario under the provincial Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.
Chung was arrested in a joint operation by Environment Canada and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources officers.
The turtles were taken from the waters of the Walpole Island First Nation, south of Sarnia.
At sentencing Tuesday, the court heard it was the second time in less than six weeks that Chung had been arrested for illegal possession of specially protected turtles, and that he was already under prohibition from engaging in these activities.
