Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

Today, after a multi-month investigation, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers charged 69-year-old Duncan Fields, 64-year-old Wallace Fields, 66-year-old Beth Fields, and 67-year-old Leslie Fields, all of Kodiak, along with Fields & Sons Inc., with multiple criminal charges related to violation of Alaska law and regulations between 2020 and 2024. In March 2024, Wildlife Troopers received information about suspicious fishing permit activity associated with the Fields family. Further investigation revealed that members of the Fields family were engaging in illegal salmon setnet permit transfers, falsely gifting permits to employed crewmembers and later reclaiming them, in violation of state law. Investigators found that from 2020 to 2024, Duncan Fields, Wallace Fields, and others under FIELDS & SONS INC. submitted fraudulent permit transfer paperwork, co-mingled fish harvests, and exceeded legal gear limits, generating approximately $1.17 million in illegal proceeds. Over 21 crewmembers were interviewed, revealing a coordinated scheme involving false statements under penalty of perjury and permit manipulation to defraud the state and fish buyers. Duncan Fields has been charged with multiple counts of Scheme to Defraud, Theft, Perjury, CFEC Permit False Statement, and fishery violations. Wallace Fields has been charged with multiple counts of Scheme to Defraud, Theft, Perjury, CFEC Permit False Statement, and fishery violations. Beth Fields has been charged with Perjury and CFEC Permit False Statement. Leslie Fields has been charged with Perjury and CFEC Permit False Statement. This case was investigated by the Wildlife Investigations Unit of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers.