A Chinese national sentenced this week for illegal guide-outfitter operation he ran in Alaska will serve his time on supervised release for two years. Jun “Harry” Liang also agreed to turn over $73,000 and a luxury vehicle he owns.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2021, Liang, 41, and his co-conspirator Brian Phelan, 53, of Fairbanks, conspired to provide guide-outfitter services for caribou and brown bear hunts out of Fairbanks.
Neither defendant was licensed by the state of Alaska as a big game guide-outfitter.
During the 2022 hunting season, Liang collected $60,000 in advance payments from two undercover agents posing as non-resident hunters in exchange for guide-outfitter services for a brown bear hunt. The money was transferred to Liang’s account through wire transfer and deposited checks.
In August 2022, Liang and Phelan falsely informed the Alaska Department of Fish and Game that Phelan was the brother-in-law of the two undercover agents, which led the department to issue a non-resident brown bear permit and tag, not knowing the information was a lie.
On Sept. 20, 2024, Liang pleaded guilty to one count of Lacey Act false labeling, and additional violations for failing to obtain a special recreation permit and engaging in business in park areas without a permit in Denali National Park. As part of his sentence for the Lacey Action violation, Liang is also required to pay a $10,000 fine. For guiding without a license on Federal Land, he will pay over $9,000 in restitution to the Bureau of Land Management.
On Dec. 30, 2024, Phelan was sentenced to two and a half years’ probation and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to two counts of violating a regulation for management, use and protection of BLM land, and one count of Lacey Act false labeling.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, Alaska Region, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation Service, Seattle Field Office, investigated the case.
Deport.
Done
THe numbers in the story do not add up. In the opening paragraph it reports that “Liang agreed to turn over “$73,000 and a luxury vehicle he owns.” Then deeper in the story it reported Liang was fined $10,000 plus $9,000 restitution fine to the BLM. How does $10,000 plus $9,000 equate to $73,000? His accomplice was fined a mere $2,000. Do these fines, whatever the amount, and probation amount to a felony? If it is a felony did the government confiscate all firearms they owned? Whatever the answer to my questions, punishment for game violations in Alaska are too lenient.
Donald, I am assuming that the $73,000 also includes the $60,000 illegally obtained advance fees collected from the undercover agents. Then the numbers make more sense.
Lacey act violations are a felony.. Extremely unusual Liang is doing no jail time. Any Alaskan who committed such crimes would be jailed for an extended amount of time.
I will be forwarding this story to the INS.
Oh-Boy!!! … Just wait for the pardon to be forthcoming by FJB, fulfilling his fiduciary responsibilities for the CCP.
There should be jail time for both of them and a lifetime ban on being able to guide or outfit. Perhaps even being able to hunt.
Completely agree
I would much rather see federal resources spent on crimes that directly affect people such as murder, drug trafficking, burglary, kidnapping, and so on. The government – that is, you and me – got back a tiny fraction of what it cost us to pursue these two miscreants and nobody’s life is better for it.
You speak as one who knows little of what Alaska is about.
My life would be better if we flushed his a** out of the country.
Illegal guiding takes income off the table for legal guides, and game off the table of Alaska residents. Permits to guide in Denali National Park are very difficult and expensive to obtain. There is a very limited number available. As a non resident alien, it would be very easy to ship him home and ban him re entry.
I’m sure that IS NOT ALL he spied on..
Why is he here still? Deport the criminal.
A Tempest in a Teapot!
Meanwhile little to no oversight of Federal subsistence hunts… ( things like a total lack of harvest reporting).
And what the heck, are not Brown and Black bears acting in a rapacious manner killing as many as 75% of moose calves?
I say if we let Fentanyl and millions of illegals cross our borders, can we not wink, wink, at some Chi- Com predator control?
At least its beneficial to baby moose.
Not only that, Robert, thoughtful consideration would make us ask, why do non-resident hunters need licensed guides for certain game while resident hunters do not? The ostensible reasons for a guide are to assure safety to hunters and conformance with law. However, these reasons are irrelevant to a hunter’s residence status, but rather his knowledge and experience. Surely there are plenty of examples of resident hunters less qualified than non-resident hunters. The law is silly; obviously set to give economic advantages rather than true value.
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