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The co-owner of the Portland Aquarium was arrested Thursday in Boise on charges of illegally harvesting marine animals.

Ammon Covino, who opened the Portland Aquarium south of Milwaukie last year with his brother, is accused of buying six marine animals for about $6,300 without proper permits and transporting them to the Idaho Aquarium in Boise. Christopher Conk, secretary of the Idaho Aquarium, was arrested on identical charges. Covino is the president of the Idaho Aquarium.



Court documents say Covino also tried to illegally acquire lemon sharks for the Portland facility.

However, co-owner and Ammon's brother Vince Covino said that there are no lemon sharks or spotted rays at the Portland Aquarium.

"All animals at Portland Aquarium have been legally acquired and properly permitted," Vince Covino said in a statement. "Portland Aquarium has demonstrated its patience in waiting for proper permits as evidenced by empty otter and puffin exhibits. Both species are still in the proper permitting process and will not arrive on site a day sooner than they are legally approved."

A federal grand jury based in Florida indicted both men in November.

Federal prosecutors contend the men purchased four eagle rays and two lemon sharks illegally harvested off the Atlantic coast of southern Florida.

If convicted under the Lacey Act, they face up to five years in prison on each count. The Lacey Act prohibits interstate import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition or purchase of any fish or wildlife taken in violation of any law or regulation of any state.

Conk previously pleaded guilty to coral smuggling in 2011 and was on probation at the time of his arrest. He doesn't appear to be connected to the Portland Aquarium.

The 10-page federal indictment details telephone conversations and text message exchanges between Covino and unnamed individuals in the Florida Keys.

In one text-message, after being advised that the person who planned to harvest the eagle rays was unable to acquire the required special permit, Covino asked him to "sneak" the rays to him, according to the indictment.

When the person reminded Covino of the problem with permits in a subsequent phone call, Covino reportedly replied, "just start doing it," the indictment says.

Vince Covino said that Ammon Covino and Conk plan to return to work at the Idaho Aquarium tomorrow and both locations will operate as usual.

In December, the Covino brothers opened the Portland Aquarium at a former Black Angus Steakhouse on Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard south of Milwaukie to rave reviews. Touted as a hands-on, education aquarium geared toward children, one of its central features is a tank where visitors can feed sharks and manta rays.

The Covinos previously announced plans to open additional aquariums in

, and

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