Kaktovik Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wasting Polar Bear

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Christopher L. Gordon, 36, of Kaktovik, Alaska, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to serve three months in federal prison, to be followed by a one-year term of supervised release, after pleading guilty to knowingly shooting and killing a polar bear and leaving the harvestable remains to waste, in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  Gordon was also ordered to pay a $4,500 fine.

According to the court documents, on Dec. 20, 2018, in the village of Kaktovik, Gordon, who is a Whaling Captain, had a large quantity of Bowhead whale meat stored in the front yard of his residence.  Although bear resistant food storage lockers were available in Kaktovik, Gordon elected not to utilize them.  The whale meat attracted a polar bear.  Gordon then shot and killed the polar bear because it was trying to eat the butchered whale meat that Gordon left in his yard.  Gordon admitted that he did not shoot the polar bear in self-defense. 

Gordon is an Alaskan Native who is permitted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to hunt or kill polar bears and other marine mammals for subsistence purposes or for the purpose of creating and selling authentic native articles of handicrafts and clothing, however this cannot be done in a wasteful manner. According to the court documents, between Dec. 20, 2018, and May 22, 2019, Gordon left the polar bear carcass in his front yard without salvaging any portion or parts of the polar bear and allowing it to become covered with snow.  Approximately three weeks after Gordon shot the polar bear, a snow removal vehicle moved the polar bear carcass, ripping off one of its legs.  Although portions of the polar bear carcass were still salvageable after this event, Gordon made no effort at any time to salvage any part of the polar bear, including the pelt, claws or teeth.  Five months later, on May 22, 2019, Gordon had the polar bear carcass discarded and burned in the Kaktovik dump without ever using or salvaging any of its parts.   

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Beistline noted that Gordon, as an Alaskan Native, had the legal right to harvest the polar bear, however he had numerous opportunities to properly salvage the polar bear for subsistence or other purposes, however he did not do so.  Judge Beistline also noted the importance of deterring future similar conduct in fashioning the sentence.  During his one-year period of supervised release Gordon is not permitted to hunt marine mammals with the exception of Bowhead whales. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey.