What could be the biggest bust in Jefferson County shellfish industry history involves a Quilcene company accused of illegally harvesting hundreds of thousands of oysters and clams.
Two people were arrested Thursday, March 18 in Quilcene and more arrests are expected as a result of a 13-month investigation led by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) into clam and oyster thefts from state and private lands.
WDFW officers, working with the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, made the arrests after serving search warrants on G & R Quality Seafood also known as Quil Bay Seafood in Quilcene.
Two Quilcene men were arrested March 18 and booked into Jefferson County Jail. Donald Lance Owens, 43, was arrested for first-degree theft, possession of stolen property and failure to report commercial shellfish harvesting. Rodney Allen Clark, 45, was arrested on five counts of being a felon in possession of a gun. Clark is the seafood company owner.
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