SavingSeaFood - NJ man admits role in failed ship-sinking attempt

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NJ man admits role in failed ship-sinking attempt

CAMDEN — A southern New Jersey man has become the fifth person to plead guilty in a botched attempt to sink a fishing boat to collect insurance.

Fifty-year-old Arthur “Todd” Vitola of Wildwood pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to destroy the Alexander II in August 2009. The boat’s owner and three other men previously pleaded guilty to similar charges.

Vitola faces a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced in April. The coconspirators also will be responsible for restitution to the Coast Guard and others.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office contends the defendants sought $400,000 in insurance money. They allegedly took the boat to a point about 86 miles southeast of Cape May and tried unsuccessfully to sink it, after falsifying the ship’s log.

Read the complete story in The Asbury Park Press

HASTINGS: Time to improve the Endangered Species Act

May 18, 2012 - When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law in 1973 by President Nixon, he spoke about the importance of preserving “the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” I believe that goal is as important today as it was back then. However, after nearly 40 years, it’s time to take a fresh, honest look at the law and consider whether there are ways it could be improved to do a better job of protecting and recovering species.

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