The former longtime manager of one of the state’s largest lobster cooperatives pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to tax evasion as a result of a lengthy investigation that started nearly two years ago into the reported theft of a huge amount of crustaceans.
The charges and plea by 53-year-old Robert Thompson of St. George are a disappointment to the president of the Spruce Head Fishermen’s Cooperative.
Thompson appeared in U.S. District Court in Portland and waived going through the grand jury process. He instead pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits the illegal sale of seafood.
