Story at a glance
- Gerbich was sentenced to three months in federal prison.
- Northern elephant seals are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Two years after fatally shooting a protected elephant seal, a California resident was sentenced to three months in federal prison on Monday.
Jordan Gerbich was at an elephant seal viewing area in September 2019 when he took out a .45-caliber pistol and shot one of the elephant seals as it rested on land at the Piedras Blancas Rookery, killing it.
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Gerbich, 30, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of illegally taking a marine mammal in December 2020. In addition to three months in federal prison, Gerbich must serve three months of home detention, undergo 120 hours of community service, and pay a $1,000 fine.
“It remains unclear what motivated [Gerbich] to commit such an act; nevertheless, [Gerbich] knew it was wrong,” prosecutors wrote for his sentencing memorandum.
Northern elephant seals are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, usually facing threats from getting caught in fishing gear or struck by boats.
The Northern elephant seal can be found along the Pacific coast.
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