St. Helena Man ordered to pay $15K into Wildlife Conservation Fund for trafficking Sperm Whale parts
Table of Contents
- St. Helena Man ordered to pay $15K into Wildlife Conservation Fund for trafficking Sperm Whale parts
- TCL to hold ‘Naming Ceremony’ for new Nursing Simulation Center
- Cadets and students named to The Citadel’s spring 2025 dean’s list
- Bluffton student awarded gold stars for spring 2025 at The Citadel
- Cadets and students from Bluffton named to The Citadel’s spring 2025 dean’s list
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Lauren Deloach, 69, of St. Helena, has been sentenced to 30 days of home confinement and a $15,000 fine for violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Lacey Act.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Deloach illegally imported, sold, and possessed sperm whale teeth and bones from September 2021, through September 2024. Deloach knew importing and selling these whale parts was illegal and would falsely label shipments with these products to avoid detection from law enforcement. The Government provided the court with two sperm whale teeth and one whale ear bone, which were among the approximately 47 whale teeth and two whale ear bones that Deloach had previously surrendered to law enforcement prior to his guilty plea.
The sperm whale is native to U.S. waters in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and weighs up to 45 tons. It can grow 52 feet and live 60 years. The sperm whale population was decimated by the commercial whaling industry from 1800 to 1987. Studies have shown that these highly socialized animals communicate over great distances and associate in clans defined by the dialect pattern of their sonar clicks.
The Government advocated for a substantial fine to be paid to the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, also known as the Lacey Act Reward Fund. United States District Judge David C. Norton agreed and imposed a $15,000 fine on Deloach to be paid to the Lacey Act Reward Fund to serve as a deterrent and assist future wildlife trafficking investigations. Judge Norton also sentenced Deloach to 30 days home confinement and two years of probation.
This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston D. Holliday, Jr. and Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section, Trial Attorney Ryan C. Connors are prosecuting the case.
TCL to hold ‘Naming Ceremony’ for new Nursing Simulation Center
What: The Technical College of the Lowcountry will hold a naming ceremony to dedicate and unveil the name for its new Nursing Simulation Center.
Located on the college’s Beaufort Mather Campus, the center consists of two mock hospital rooms, classroom space, a control room with new software and technology and mechanized mannequins that stand in for patients. It is designed to provide real-world scenarios in which nursing students practice patient care.
The center was made possible with the help of a generous donation from Stephanie “Stevie” and Frank Raiti of Hilton Head Island. The Raitis also established the Joseph Raiti Memorial Scholarship in Practical Nursing at TCL.
When: 4-5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25
Where: Beaufort Mather Campus, Health Sciences, Bldg. 4, 942 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC
Cadets and students named to The Citadel’s spring 2025 dean’s list
CHARLESTON, SC — The dean’s list is a recognition given to cadets and students who are registered for 12 or more semester hours and whose grade point average is 3.20 or higher, with no grade of I (Incomplete) and no grade below C for work in a semester.
The following local students named to the spring 2025 dean’s list at The Citadel:
- James Crosby of Yemassee, SC
- William Hazel of Hampton, SC
About The Citadel
The Citadel, with its iconic campus located in Charleston, South Carolina, offers a classic military college education for young men and women focused on leadership excellence and academic distinction. The approximately 2,300 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets are not required to serve in the military, but about one-third of each class earn commissions to become officers in every branch of U.S. military service. Citadel alumni have served the nation, their states and their communities as principled leaders since 1842. The Citadel Graduate College offers dozens of graduate degree, graduate certificate and evening undergraduate programs in the evening or online. The Citadel has been consecutively named Best Public College in the South by U.S. News & World Report for 14 years and No. 1 Best Public College for Veterans in the South for seven years. Learn more about The Citadel here.
Bluffton student awarded gold stars for spring 2025 at The Citadel
Peter Torinese, of Bluffton, is one of the more than 500 cadets and students recognized for their academic achievements during the spring 2025 semester.
Gold stars are awarded to cadets and students at The Citadel who achieved a 3.7 grade point average or higher. Cadets and students who achieve gold star recognition are also placed on The Citadel’s dean’s list.
Those cadets may wear gold stars on their uniforms throughout the semester following their academic achievement. A gold star recognition certificate is awarded to non-cadet students who meet the requirements; veteran and active duty students are also awarded challenge coins.
Cadets and students from Bluffton named to The Citadel’s spring 2025 dean’s list
CHARLESTON, SC — The dean’s list is a recognition given to cadets and students who are registered for 12 or more semester hours and whose grade point average is 3.20 or higher, with no grade of I (Incomplete) and no grade below C for work in a semester.
The following Bluffton students named to the spring 2025 dean’s list at The Citadel:
Bradlee Anderson
Logan Bach
Richard Hunter
Sean McDonagh
William McDonnell
Peter Torinese
Palmetto Animal League presents Pets for Adoption
Dominic (Cat)
Dominic is a stately, 2-year-old boy with beautiful eyes, a curious nature, and a soft, sweet temperament. Did you know black cats like Dominic were regarded as royalty in ancient Egypt? People are still enamored with them today because of their loyal, affectionate, fun-loving personalities. Add a touch of royalty to your family. Meet Dominic at Palmetto Animal League and make him yours! He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped. For more info, call PAL at 843-645-1725 or email Info@PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.
Aiden the dog is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. He loves children and other dogs, making him the perfect family pet. Aiden enjoys meeting new people and making friends everywhere he goes. This sweet, gentle, 7-year-old boy has been at Palmetto Animal League far too long, and he can’t wait to find a family that will adore him just as much as he will love them. He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped. For more info, call PAL at 843-645-1725 or email Info@PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.
