Federal prosecutors say a former Santa Barbara County man has pled guilty to a charge that he intentionally shot, and killed a seal.
Jordan Gerbich drove to an elephant seal viewing area near San Simeon. He was there at night. Prosecutors say Gerbich walked down to the beach with a flashlight, and pistol, where he shot and killed one of the seals.
They are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The former Santa Maria resident now lives in Utah. He entered the guilty plea in a videoconference. Gerbich could face up to a year in prison for the September, 2019 attack when he’s sentenced next April.