The Department of Justice, along with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, announced the filing of a twenty-four count criminal Information against Richard R. Stowell, of St. Pete Beach, and United Seafood Imports, Inc., of St. Petersburg, Florida. If convicted, Stowell faces a statutory maximum penalty of up to 5 years incarceration and fines of up to $20,000.00 on each of the criminal counts in the Information. United Seafood Imports, Inc., would face fines of up to $500,000.00 per count.

An Information is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.