Nearly 18,000 young salmon died after a vandal poured bleach into a Douglas County fish hatchery tank, officials said

Eugene, OR – According to the state officials, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Deputies arrested 20-year-old Joshua Heckathorn and lodged him at the Douglas County Jail on charges of Burglary II, Criminal Trespass and Criminal Mischief.

According to an agency news release, on Apr. 23, a DCSO patrol deputy saw Heckathorn walking south along Highway 101, then encountered him again that evening behind a locked gate in the hatchery facility.

Heckathorn admitted to trespassing on the property, entering a storage location, and handling the chemical bottle on Monday.

In a cooperative law enforcement effort, DCSO and Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division will collaborate efforts to address both vandalism on the property and a significant poaching incident, according to OSP F&W Sergeant Levi Harris.

Poaching charges will include Unlawful Taking Chinook Salmon for 17,890 fish, which raised the charge to a Class C felony.

Courts have the authority to multiply that amount by the number of fish taken, with a judgement in this case potentially raising the amount to over $13 million, according to Sergeant Harris.