A former Alaska Board of Fisheries appointee was indicted this month on 12 felony charges for allegedly accepting Permanent Fund Dividend payments although not eligible to do so at the time.
A Juneau grand jury indicted Roland R. Maw, 72, Feb. 12 on six counts of first-degree unsworn falsification and six counts of second-degree theft. All charges are class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.
Maw is a former executive director of United Cook Inlet Drift Association, a commercial salmon fishing industry. Gov. Bill Walker appointed Maw to the Alaska Board of Fisheries in January 2015, but his name was withdrawn one month later as issues came to light in another state.
In February 2015, Alaska Wildlife Troopers received a report from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks that Maw purchased a resident Montana sport hunting and fishing license, according to an affidavit filed Jan. 13 by Juneau District Attorney James Scott.
AWT Investigator Eric Hinton then discovered Maw had purchased Alaska resident sport hunting and fishing licenses from 1996 to 2003, after which time he received a permanent identification card for the sport.
Further investigation by AWT officials revealed from 2008 to 2014, Maw was absent from Alaska between 109 to 180 days each year. He was still accepting his PFD payments during that time, totalling $7,422, and did not disclose absences that exceeded 90 days as required by state law, according to the affidavit.
Hinton later discovered Maw claimed an Alaskan residency on various documents while having approximately 50 different resident Montana sport licenses at the same time. Obtaining a resident hunting and fishing license in another state would have made him ineligible for PFD payments.
Assistant Attorney General Lisa C. Kelley is listed as the prosecutor in this case. Maw’s next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22, which he will participate by telephone.
