(CNN) A man in an Alaska village has been charged with federal crimes for allegedly killing a polar bear and leaving it to rot for five months.

Christopher Gordon of Kaktovik is accused of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act after he allegedly shot and killed a polar bear around December 20, 2018.

Gordon has been charged with knowingly taking a polar bear in a manner unlawful under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and with one count of wasteful taking of a marine animal.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service led the investigation.

Katkovik, with about 250 residents, is some 640 miles north of Anchorage.

Read More