Tree Stealing Commercial Fisherman Agrees To Plea Deal After Heist Of Tongass NF Yellow Cedars

Here’s the Alaska Beacon with more:

Mitchell Keplinger, charged with theft of government property in April, was scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska on Wednesday for his formal arraignment.

Keplinger signed a plea deal the day after he was charged. Under the terms of the deal, he will avoid jail time but will pay $85,682.17 in restitution and be on probation for three years, a term that may later be reduced to no less than 18 months.

That would be significantly lower than the maximum penalty for theft of government property, which can be punished by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Keplinger’s attorney did not return a phone call seeking comment on Wednesday.