Everson man charged with trafficking invasive species of newts
An Everson man has been charged in Whatcom County District Court with two gross misdemeanors for trafficking an invasive species of newts.
Court records show that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) learned in December that six Anatolia newts were sent to Everson resident Andrew Majeske, 37, from Massachusetts. The newts are prohibited in Washington without proper authorization or permits, which Majeske did not have.
A WDFW sergeant learned that a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent was investigating Massachusetts resident Scotland McCarthy, who sold potentially diseased newts and salamanders across the country.
McCarthy sold and shipped six newts to Majeske for between $750 and $1,000, according to court documents.
WDFW officers and scientists found the Anatolia newts in a tank when they executed a search warrant on Majeske’s property. They also found 10 marbled newts, which are another invasive species.
All 16 newts were seized, preventing the spread of a “high-risk invasive species and a potentially devastating amphibian pathogen,” according to WDFW.
Majeske was charged with two counts of second-degree unlawful use of invasive species in late April. His arraignment is scheduled for May 29.