According to Alaska State Troopers, a Washington state crabber must pay $16,588 in restitution after falsifying Norton Sound residency. Alexei Klutchnikov participated in the NSEDC winter king crab harvest from 2015-2016 under a permit in which he knowingly made a false claim to be a Nome resident in order to receive CDQ benefits.
Klutchnikov interacted with wildlife troopers for equipment compliancy during that crabbing season when he reportedly showed a Washington state ID. Further investigation caused the Alaska State Wildlife troopers to charge Klutchnikov with three counts of unsworn falsification for residency status on his CDQ application and renewal. He was then summoned and arraigned in March of 2018, two years after using the invalid permit.
Alaska State Troopers said in a dispatch issued Wednesday that Klutchnikov pleaded guilty on November 7 to one misdemeanor charge of falsely applying for benefit. The Nome District Court ordered he pay restitution, but no other penalties are being reported for Klutchnikov at this time.
Image at top: file photo: Norton Sound red king crab. Photo: Jenn Ruckel, KNOM.
