Wasilla pair sentenced for illegal Kodiak guiding operation

Two Wasilla men received federal prison time and fines for operating an unlicensed guide and transporter business out of Kodiak that led to illegal harvests of Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. Theodore Turgeon, 29, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine. Charles Emmi, 29, received four years of federal probation, a $30,000 fine, and 100 hours of community service. Both men were ordered to forfeit $14,982.61 each in lieu of forfeiting their vessel, the M/V Sound Choice. Turgeon also forfeited a rifle and scope. Both face worldwide hunting and fishing bans during supervision, including prohibition on obtaining guide or transporter licenses.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska announced the sentences on May 14, 2026. According to federal court records, Turgeon and Emmi formed The Rock Outfitters LLC in March 2021, registering the company for coastal and great lakes passenger transportation. Prosecutors said the pair then used the M/V Sound Choice to host out-of-state hunters on guided trips near Kodiak without required state big game guide licenses or federal authorizations. The trips resulted in unlawful harvests in violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in illegally taken wildlife.

Turgeon was convicted of a felony Lacey Act violation. Emmi was convicted of a misdemeanor. Both men are barred from applying for or holding any guide or transporter license while under federal supervision. The DOJ press release does not include any public account from the defendants or their clients.

The case follows a pattern of federal wildlife and resource prosecutions in Alaska in recent years. In August 2021, Kodiak fisherman James Aaron Stevens was sentenced to six months in prison and fined $1 million for falsifying halibut and sablefish fishing records in a separate Lacey Act case. In February 2025, another Kodiak fisherman received one year in prison for directing illegal transport of crab from Alaska to Washington.

Kodiak Island supports regulated hunts for Sitka black-tailed deer and black and brown bears, with specific seasons, bag limits, and permit requirements managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Alaska big game guiding is regulated under state statute AS 08.54, which makes it unlawful to guide without a license and authorizes disciplinary action through the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. Federal agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement investigate Alaska resource and wildlife cases that are referred for prosecution, though the source material does not specify which agencies were involved in this case.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska. The U.S. Attorney's Office has described enforcement against illegal guiding and wildlife violations as necessary to protect Alaska's natural resources and ensure a level playing field for law-abiding guides and hunters.