California Wildlife Officers Arrest Convicted Sacramento Poacher for Continued Violations

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Officers arrested a convicted poacher who continued violating fish and wildlife laws after his fishing license was permanently revoked.  Nai Choy Saelee, age 30, of Sacramento, continued poaching using a fraudulent fishing license obtained with the aid of his brother.

In 2010, Nai Choy Saelee was arrested for, and plead guilty to, poaching abalone and illegally possessing abalone for sale, which led to a lifetime revocation of his fishing license by the Mendocino County Superior Court.  CDFW wildlife officers allege that during each of the last three years since the license revocation, Saelee, with the assistance of his brother, Peter Choy Saelee, age 25, fraudulently obtained a fishing license using his brother’s identification.  Nai Choy Saelee continued poaching and selling fish for profit on the Sacramento black market using the fraudulently obtained fishing license. Wildlife officers allege in those three years, Nai Choy Saelee accrued two additional misdemeanor poaching citations under his brother’s name, and was under investigation for a third, before they were able to prove he was using a fraudulently obtained fishing license.

“A fishing or hunting license revocation remains one of the best tools to keep poachers in check,” said CDFW Captain David Bess. “This case represents the determination of a convicted poacher with a revoked fishing license who continued to sell California’s fish and wildlife for personal profit.”

On Friday, April 25, 2014, wildlife officers arrested Nai Choy Saelee at his Sacramento residence for illegally taking fish for profit, and for unlawfully obtaining and possessing a fishing license acquired by means of fraud and deceit. He was booked into the Sacramento County Jail. An investigation continues to determine Peter Choy Saelee’s level of involvement in the license fraud conspiracy.