Skagway man indicted for Lacey Act violations

A Skagway man has been indicted by federal authorities on charges of alleging smuggling walrus ivory and the illegal export and import of walrus ivory, a violation of the Lacey Act.

James Terrance Williams, 67, doing business as Inside Passage Arts, was named in a 10-count indictment charging him with smuggling walrus ivory from the United States, smuggling walrus ivory into the U.S., illegal sale of smuggled ivory in violation of the Lacey Act, and Lacey Act false labeling.

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, walrus ivory cannot be exported out of the U.S., nor imported into the U.S. without a permit. The indictment alleges that in October 2014 and March 2016 that Williams illegally exported raw, unworked walrus ivory tusks from Alaska to Indonesia for carving. He would then smuggle the carved walrus ivory back into the U.S., disguising the illegal nature of the transport by falsification of records, all to further illegal sales of the ivory.

U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder in Anchorage said the scheme involved numerous Lacy Act violations. If convicted, Williams would face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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