If you captain a 30-foot fishing vessel, then you might start to think that you are in your own little world, not likely to be seen or noticed by others. After all, tied up at dock all is dark and quiet and out on the seas, well, there’s nobody around to watch your behavior.
A story from August 22, 2011 tells of a 33-year-old charter boat operator who has not only been brought up on drug trafficking charges, but also on charges of distribution of methamphetamine and Oxycontin to minors, employing a juvenile to violate drug laws and obstruction of justice (by persuading the teens to lie in statements to law enforcement.) Randall Scott Hines faces multiple federal counts.
He is the operator of “Fish On” charters out of the city of Homer, and captain of The Rebel. If he is found guilty as charged, that 30-foot fishing vessel and a sport utility vehicle will be seized by the prosecutors.
The court documents say that Hines met “Juvenile A” and “Juvenile B” in 2009 when they were 15 years old. He provided methamphetamine for them and had sex with them as well. “A” ran away from home in 2010 at the age of 16 and moved in with Hines. She smoked meth with him every day and sold it to others at least 30 times. He supplied her drugs in exchange for sex and also for cleaning the boat. During that time “B” came to the boat several times a week to meet with Hines and get meth and Oxycontin and have sex.
“A’s” mother got a restraining order against Hines in November 2010 to keep him away from her. Hines talked “A” into writing a letter denying everything; but after she went through drug treatment, she wrote another letter to the police stating that the first letter had been a lie.
Hines was indicted by a federal grand jury and he is in the Anchorage jail. His attorney Mr. Weidner says that Hines vigorously denies all of the charges. Weidner adds,
"It is unfortunate that a citizen has been arrested and incarcerated and is being detained without bail under these circumstances, and we look forward to his exoneration.”
The lawyers and the judge have their work cut out for them as they determine what happened on The Rebel.
