Kevin Thompson (pastor)

Kevin Thompson (born 1958 in Jarrow, South Tyneside, UK) is the former pastor of the Bay Area Family Church, a Unification Church congregation located in San Leandro, California. [United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/can/press/2007/2007_01_23_Thompson.sentencing.press.html Press Release] , Jan. 23, 2007.] In 2006, he was indicted by a grand jury for violating the Lacey Act, a federal law which criminalizes the sale and purchase of certain protected species. [Los Angeles Times, [http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-sharks13feb13,1,4827004.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true "Moon's Church to Pay in Shark Poaching"] , Feb. 13, 2007.] On January 22, 2007, Thompson was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and, according to Kevin V. Ryan, at that time the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, five other persons, two of whom are members of the church, were charged with and pled guilty to participation in the shark smuggling operation. [Jan. 23, 2007 Press Release, "supra".] Thompson was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution. [The Journal (Newcastle-upon-Tyne), [http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/journallive/thejournal/tm_method=full&objectid=18545660&siteid=50081-name_page.html "The Minister, the Sharks and $1.2m"] , Jan. 29, 2007.] Thompson's case gained national and international press attention.

The Lacey Act

The Lacey Act prohibits selling or purchasing wildlife which was captured in violation of an underlying law or regulation. [See 16 U.S.C. § 3372.] In January 1994, it became unlawful under California state law to capture leopard sharks ("Triakis semifasciata") of less than 36 inches in length. [1993 Cal. Legis. Serv. 1100, § 8, "codified at" Cal. Fish & Game Code § 8388.5.] Thus, after January 1994, it became unlawful under the Lacey Act to buy or sell leopard sharks of less than 36 inches in length.

Thompson's acts

From 1992 through 2003, [United States Fish and Wildlife Service, [http://www.fws.gov/midwest/News/Release07-15.html Press Release] , Feb. 13, 2006.] Thompson enlisted several young men to catch and sell juvenile leopard sharks (leopard sharks which were less than the minimum legal length) from the San Francisco Bay. During that period of time, at least 465 leopard sharks were sold to companies in Miami; Chicago; Houston; Romulus, Michigan; Milford, Connecticut; the Netherlands; and the United Kingdom. [Jan. 23, 2007 Press Release, "supra".] Federal authorities learned of Thompson's involvement when pet dealers in Florida and Chicago were arrested and gave evidence against him. [United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/can/press/2006/2006_02_08_leopardshark.htm Press Release] , Feb. 8, 2006.]

Connection with the Unification Church

In a 2003 sermon, Thompson mentioned that his fishing crew had spent a decade catching and selling juvenile leopard sharks to local pet stores. [National Public Radio, [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7379593 "Prosecutors Net Leopard-Shark Smugglers"] , Feb. 13, 2007.] In the same sermon, Thompson stated that, when Sun Myung Moon, the founder and head of the Unification Church, was visiting the area, he explained the project to Moon, who became excited upon learning of it. [East Bay Express, [http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-01-31/news/the-man-vs-moon/ "The Man vs. Moon"] , Jan. 31, 2007.] Spokesmen for the Church, however, have denied that the Church knew of or condoned Thompson's activities. [L.A. Times, "Moon's Church to Pay in Shark Poaching," "supra".] In a non-prosecution agreement with the government, the Unification Church agreed to pay $500,000 to a $1.5 million fund set up for the purpose of rehabilitating and restoring marine wildlife habitat in the San Francisco Bay to further protect the leopard shark. $600,000 was added to the fund by the State of California and private environmental foundations. [NPR, "Prosecutors Net Leopard-Shark Smugglers," "supra".] [San Diego Union Tribune, [http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070213/news_1n13shark.html "Shark Poaching Will Cost Moon's Church"] , Feb. 13, 2007.] In March 2008, Thompson finished his sentence and was released from federal prison. In September 2008, he was attending the Unification Theological Seminary in New York and had plans to write a book about his experiences.

References

Further reading

* [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/can/press/2006/2006_02_08_leopardshark.htm Six Indicted in Scheme to Poach and Smuggle Protected California Leopard Sharks] , United States Department of Justice
* [http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/m/moonies/test/ Reverend Kevin Thompson: Moon knew about illegal shark catching] , Audio excerpt of Thompson sermon, "Freedom of Mind Center"
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7379593 Prosecutors Net Leopard-Shark Smugglers] , "National Public Radio"
* [http://br.us.biz.yahoo.com/ap/070213/shark_poachers.html?.v=1 Unification Church to Pay $500,000 Into Wildlife Fund Over Pastor's Shark Poaching Conviction] , "Associated Press"
* [http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070213/news_1n13shark.html Shark poaching will cost Moon's church] , "Union-Tribune "
* [http://www.cuebon.com/Indictment.html Thompson Shark Case] , Account by a first hand observer.