Guilty plea in first case under invasive species law
A Greek citizen pleaded guilty Wednesday to four felony counts in federal court in New Orleans for violating antipollution laws, ship safety laws and obstructing a U.S. Coast Guard investigation.
Panagiotis Lekkas, captain of the bulk cargo ship the Theotokos, pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act.
Additionally, a Philippine citizen, Charles P. Posas, the chief mate onboard the same ship, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of lying to the Coast Guard and violating recordkeeping laws aimed at reducing the risk of marine invasive species.
Posas was the first individual ever charged under the anti-invasive species law, a law designed to mitigate the introduction of marine invasive species into waters of the United States. Aquatic nuisance species are non-indigenous species that threaten the diversity or abundance of native species or the ecological stability of infested waters.
Posas pleaded guilty to one count of false statement and one count of violating the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance and Prevention Control Act.
The vessel is owned by Liberia-based Mirage Navigation Corp. and is managed by Polembros Shipping Ltd. Sentencing for both individual defendants is set for Oct. 14.
Details on the incident are available here.
Guilty plea in first case under invasive species law
