The owners of Kodiak’s Wild Alaskan, also known as the “Stripper Boat,” were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly dumping human waste into a Kodiak harbor.
Darren and Kimberly Byler, who run the crab-boat-turned-strip-club, are accused of dumbing raw sewage into unauthorized waters and lying to the U.S. Coast Guard, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
During the floating bar’s operation between June 25, 2014 and Nov. 30, 2014, Kimberly told the U.S. Coast Guard that human waste from the boat was being stored in a 5,000-gallon tank on the vessel. She also said the waste was then being disposed of by a commercial waste disposal firm, the release says. In Darren’s correspondence with the Coast Guard, he reported that waste was being disposed of at a pier on St. Herman Harbor or that he would transport the waste to an offshore site, where he would then dump it into the ocean.
“The indictment alleges that these representations to the U.S. Coast Guard were false,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release. “Waste from the Wild Alaskan was being piped from the customer and employee bathrooms directly overboard and into St. Herman Harbor.”
Disposal of human waste into unauthorized waters is a volition of the Refuse Act, the release says. The crime carries up to one year in jail and a fine of $25,000 for each day the act was violated, if convicted. Making material false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard is a violation of Title 18, meaning the Bylers face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.
Darren was arraigned Monday, the release says. Kimberly is not yet in federal custody.