A Chinese national has been sentenced in Fairbanks, Alaska, for his involvement in an illegal guide-outfitter scheme. Jun “Harry” Liang, 41, received a two-year supervised release sentence and agreed to forfeit over $73,000 and a luxury vehicle to the United States. The charges stem from an operation he conducted with co-conspirator Brian Phelan, 53, of Fairbanks.
Court documents reveal that Liang and Phelan began their illegal activities in August 2021 by offering guide-outfitter services for caribou and brown bear hunts without being licensed by the state of Alaska as big game guide-outfitters. During the 2022 hunting season, Liang accepted $60,000 from undercover agents posing as non-resident hunters for a brown bear hunt. These funds were transferred through wire transfer and checks.
To facilitate the hunt in August 2022, Liang and Phelan falsely claimed to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game that Phelan was related to the undercover agents. This deception led to the issuance of a non-resident brown bear permit based on fraudulent information.
On September 20, 2024, Liang pleaded guilty to Lacey Act false labeling charges and additional violations related to conducting business without permits in Denali National Park. His sentence includes a $10,000 fine for violating the Lacey Act and over $9,000 restitution to the Bureau of Land Management for guiding without a license on federal land.
Phelan was sentenced on December 30, 2024, receiving two-and-a-half years’ probation along with a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty to regulatory violations concerning BLM land management and Lacey Act false labeling.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker highlighted the impact of these illegal activities on law-abiding Alaskan guide-outfitters: "Hunting is a vital part of Alaskan communities," she stated. "Mr. Liang and Mr. Phelan unjustly enriched themselves through their conspiracy." She commended law enforcement partners for dismantling Liang’s operations.
Assistant Director Edward Grace from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service emphasized their commitment to wildlife conservation laws: “The defendants fraudulently secured over $70,000 in payments from hunters through these illegal activities.” He affirmed ongoing efforts to prosecute wildlife law violators.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation Service's Seattle Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Steve Skrocki led the prosecution.