But authorities say this ring is one of the biggest the department has come across, both in terms of its scope, the number of jurisdictions involved, and the other potential criminal activity, which includes illegal weapons possession, counterfeit cash, and 1,000 pounds of suspected illegal cannabis found during a search warrant service last April.
The investigation started with a probe of two suspected clam poachers in the Sacramento area, and during a review of their Facebook accounts, investigators found conversations about black market caviar deals dating back to 2018. One of the men inquired about who would purchase sturgeon roe, remarking he had “at least 100” pounds from a 67-inch sturgeon, according to court records.
When he was identified as a suspect, CDFW investigators took the rare step of tracking his phone calls and installing a GPS device on his Chevrolet pickup truck — law enforcement tactics that are typically reserved for probes of major drug trafficking rings or organized crime. Wardens then trailed the Chevrolet back to San Francisco where the contents were unloaded into Petryanik’s family home, according to court records. Two days later, wardens conducted a stakeout and observed the family as they went through the caviar production process, authorities allege.
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