Washington Man Indicted for Sinking Squid Boat

By Carol Kennedy

Published on September 30, 2005

Artuner's boat, Junior, was used to fish for squid off of the coast of California. When the boat sank three miles southwest of Oxnard in March of 2003, Artuner claimed that he knew nothing about the incident and that another man had been living on the boat as a caretaker. This prompted the Coast Guard to launch a search and rescue mission.

Atuner has been charged with deliberately sinking a vessel, polluting and making false statements. The motive for sinking the boat is still not clear; however, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dorothy Kim said that it might have been cheaper for him to sink the boat than to keep it.

Squidding permits are not transferable unless the owner has proof that their boat was destroyed.

The charges that Artuner faces carry a maximum sentence of 26 years in federal prison.

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