Fish-egg theft nets 6-month sentence

TULSA - An Arkansas man has been sentenced to six months in prison for his role in the theft of paddlefish eggs in Oklahoma.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Tulsa said in a news release that Robbie Dale Tubbs, 52, of Newport was sentenced Thursday in federal court.

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The Tulsa World reported that Tubbs said he didn’t realize the crime was so serious and that he thought he would receive a ticket.

Three other Arkansas men- James Chapman of Swifton, Jeremy Waldrip of Sulphur Springs and Lee Jobe of Sulphur Springs - and Jay Witt of Pineville, Mo., were sentenced to probation in July for illegally transporting the eggs out of Oklahoma and selling them to Tubbs in Missouri.

Paddlefish are sharklike freshwater fish whose eggs are considered by some to be a more available and affordable alternative to caviar. It is illegal to transport unfrozen paddlefish eggs out of Oklahoma.

Front Section, Pages 11 on 10/20/2013

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