Federal authorities have taken into custody a Washington state visitor who was filmed throwing a large stone at a protected Hawaiian monk seal near a beach in Maui last week.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, voluntarily turned himself in to authorities in the Seattle region on Wednesday after special agents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began pursuing his arrest, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Aislinn Affinito based in Honolulu.
The Covington, Washington resident faces charges of harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal.
During his Thursday court appearance at U.S. District Court in Seattle, a judge allowed Lytvynchuk’s release while requiring him to appear at a future hearing in Honolulu scheduled for May 27.
Federal public defender Greg Geist, who represented Lytvynchuk during the proceeding, indicated his client has retained legal counsel in Hawaii, though the attorney’s identity was not immediately available in court records. Following the hearing, Geist refused to respond to inquiries from an Associated Press reporter or reveal the Hawaiian attorney’s name.
Two individuals who came to support Lytvynchuk at the hearing refused to provide statements.
The recorded incident sparked significant public outrage and calls for legal action throughout Hawaii, including from the mayor of Maui.
An officer from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources responded to reports of monk seal harassment in Lahaina last week, the area devastated by fatal wildfires in 2023. A bystander presented video evidence showing the marine mammal swimming in shallow waters while a man observed from the shoreline.
According to prosecutors’ criminal complaint, the cellphone footage shows the individual gripping a substantial rock in one hand, taking aim, and launching it straight toward the monk seal. The stone, which a witness compared to coconut-sized, barely missed striking the seal’s head but forced the animal to suddenly change its movements, the complaint stated.
After being confronted by a witness, the man responded that he was unconcerned and possessed sufficient wealth to cover any penalties, the complaint indicated.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen stated the criminal charges demonstrate that mistreatment of protected species will face consequences. He named the seal as “Lani,” a recognized and cherished presence around Lahaina’s waterfront, whose reappearance following the fires provided comfort and optimism during challenging times.
However, the state natural resources department clarified through email that the seal was likely not Lani, due to missing distinctive markings.
“Humanity and the instinct to protect what is vulnerable are still values people can unite around,” Bissen wrote in his emailed statement.
The mayor revealed he contacted the U.S. attorney in Honolulu to push for criminal prosecution.
Lytvynchuk faces violations under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Hawaiian monk seals represent a critically threatened species, with only 1,600 individuals surviving in natural habitats.
Upon conviction, Lytvynchuk could receive up to one year imprisonment for each charge. He additionally faces potential fines reaching $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
