HOUMA, La. — Three Houma residents are facing dozens of citations after a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement investigation into illegal seafood sales centered in Terrebonne Parish, with agents alleging the operation also involved computer fraud tied to falsified training records.
Agents cited Ana Reyna Beiza Lopez, 46, Juan Rebollar Aguilar, 42, and Izhar Rebollar-Beiza, 24, in July following a probe into raw seafood sold largely through social media. Agents determined the group shipped seafood out of Louisiana to North Carolina every month and sold it there in violation of state law.
What the Investigation Found
Lopez and Aguilar face the bulk of the citations, tied to the sale of oysters, blue crabs, and several species of raw fish. Their charges include exporting crab products without the required wholesale or retail shipping license, selling seafood without a fresh product license, violating interstate commerce regulations, buying or selling fish without a wholesale retail license, and failing to maintain records.
Both were also cited for possessing untagged or improperly tagged oysters, failing to file monthly returns, taking spotted seatrout without a permit, taking apple snails from public waters, and attempting to sell undersized fish. Lopez was additionally cited for selling or purchasing game fish.
Aguilar’s citations went further, including conspiracy, processing marine product without a permit or in an unapproved facility, failing to tag containerized oysters, and failing to maintain fisherman trip tickets and traceable oyster records. LDWF said Lopez and Aguilar could face a combined $1,615 in civil restitution.
Fraudulent Training Certificates
Investigators say Aguilar and Rebollar-Beiza illegally produced certificates for the Best Practices for Oyster Harvester Course, the training Louisiana requires commercial oyster harvesters to complete before they can be licensed. Rebollar-Beiza was cited separately for computer fraud and filing false public records in connection with the fake certificates.
Penalties Facing the Three
Louisiana’s seafood licensing, tagging and recordkeeping violations each carry fines between $250 and $500 and up to 90 days in jail. The interstate commerce and spotted seatrout violations carry steeper penalties, ranging from $900 to $950 in fines and up to 120 days in jail per offense.
The fraud-related charges carry the highest potential penalties. Computer fraud is punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and five years in jail, while filing false public records carries a penalty of up to $5,000 and five years in jail.
Why It Matters for Louisiana Seafood Buyers
State law requires commercial seafood harvesters and dealers to hold the proper licenses, tag their product, and maintain traceable records at every step from the water to the point of sale. Seafood sold outside those licensed and inspected channels, including through informal social media listings, can bypass the tagging and sanitation requirements meant to keep mishandled or unsafe product away from consumers.
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