Michigan Man Charged With Selling Bear Meat, Organs
HOUGHTON, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Authorities have arrested an Upper Peninsula man who they say sold bear meat and organs to undercover investigators.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that 56-year-old Danny Loyd, of Chassell, was arraigned Wednesday in Houghton County court after an investigation by the agency's law enforcement division.
Chassell is charged with six counts, including selling bear parts, conducting a taxidermy business without a permit and using a computer to commit a crime.
During the course of the investigation, Loyd allegedly sold bear meat and organs to undercover investigators, which is prohibited by law. The investigation also established that Loyd had apparently been operating a charter fishing business utilizing a vessel that had not been inspected and found to meet the required safety standards. Area conservation officers also had received complaints regarding Loyd's taxidermy business, which was unlicensed.
"The illegal sale of black bear parts supplies a market for the illegal parts and provides a financial incentive for poachers to take the animals during closed seasons, in excess of established limits and by unlawful methods," Detective Lt. Jason Haines said in a statement. "There is a black market for black bear parts in Asia, where the parts are used for medicinal purposes."
The DNR encourages anyone with information on illegal commercialization of any Michigan wildlife or fish, or any natural resources violations, to call their poaching hotline at 800-292-7800.
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