On May 5, 2026, a court sentenced Michael Beans to 36 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Beans was sentenced to serve 24 months for federal wildlife offenses and an additional 12 months on a state case, which will run consecutively. Beans also will pay a total of $64,110 in restitution, which will be divided among 21 victims. He pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act and Wire Fraud for operating an illegal hunting and guiding service (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372 (a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B); 18 U.S.C. § 1343).
In October 2021, Beans began advertising guide-outfitter and transporter services for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 bull moose hunting seasons on various social media hunting forums. Beans has never held a big game guide-outfitter license or big game transporter license in the state of Alaska. Beans contacted prospective hunters stating that he would reduce the hunting rates if hunters paid in full early or assisted Beans by advancing fees months before the hunt occurred. In some messages, Beans conveyed costs of the hunt and then received deposits to formalize the booking through mobile money transfer applications or other electronic financial services.
Between October 2021 to December 2022, Beans fraudulently collected more than $59,000 in deposits, advanced payments, and other funds from approximately 30 hunters who were not Alaska residents.
The first group of hunters arrived on September 1, 2022. Beans cancelled all contracted hunts without meeting any of the hunters in person. Beans returned $700 to one hunter but did not refund any others for the cancelled hunts. Another group of three hunters arrived between September 19 and September 24, 2022. Beans attempted to cancel this hunt, but the hunters located Beans in St. Mary’s, and he took them on the hunt consistent with their agreement. Acting as the guide-outfitter or transporter, Beans assisted the hunters in killing three bull moose, even though he was not licensed to do so.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and Alaska Wildlife Troopers Investigations Unit conducted the investigation.
Photo: Pixabay
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