NOAA Seal Posse Got The Wrong Guy

Overreacting Karen calls officials when a tourist was looking at the scalped seal.

sea lion accused2

Authorities had released a wanted flyer with his photo and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest in connection to a decapitated sea lion found near Monterey.

As of Tuesday night, the man at the center of the case, Jason Bietz, reached out to FOX26 hoping to clear his name and get the truth out.

Bietz says he and his daughter were visiting Point Pinos Beach in Pacific Grove when they noticed a dead sea lion on the sand.

As they looked at the animal, he says a woman approached them and accused them of stabbing and decapitating it.

He says they were simply looking at the animal, but things got heated with the woman, so they left.

NOAA Seal Posse Got The Wrong Guy
KMPH Fox26

Seal Posse Shoots First

Both NOAA and KSBW call out the man in the picture – who was not their man.

sea lion accused

A woman walking along Point Pinos Beach in Pacific Grove reported witnessing a man and his daughter mutilating the carcass of a dead seal back in June to KSBW 8.

Several months later, NOAA got involved and announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the man wanted for doing this.

The incident occurred at 8:40 p.m. on July 27. NOAA says the sea lion was dead before being decapitated, and its cause of death was not determined.

“We are seeking information on the person who decapitated the animal and any other details surrounding the incident,” said NOAA.

Seal Posse Shoots First