A Sonoma County husband-and-wife team has pleaded guilty to operating an illegal fish-selling operation out of their Rohnert Park home, bringing an end to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) investigation that authorities say uncovered years of unlawful activity tied to sport-caught fish from the Sonoma Coast.
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced that Richard and Shalley Tran pleaded to two counts of illegally selling and exchanging fish for profit or personal gain. The case stemmed from a CDFW investigation that began in 2024 after the agency received a tip alleging the couple was unlawfully commercializing sport-caught fish.
According to prosecutors, surveillance revealed the Trans processed fish inside their Rohnert Park residence and then sold the catch from their home, other residences in Sonoma County, and multiple locations throughout the Bay Area, including private homes and businesses. Investigators believe the illegal sales operation had been ongoing for at least a decade…