Individual Refutes Allegations of Sea Lion Beheading in California

() A man accused of decapitating a California sea lion this summer is denying he had any wrongdoing.

Jason Bietz, who was put on a wanted poster earlier this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said he submitted a photo to the organization to prove his innocence, which showed the sea lion in the same condition nearly five hours before law enforcement arrived.

“It (the photo) showed the sea lion in the exact same position and the exact same condition as it was seen by law enforcement later that night,” Bietz acknowledged.

Officials said a white man, believed to be in his 50s or 60s, was seen using a hunting knife to cut off the dead sea lion’s head. According to investigators, the sea lion was already dead before the incident, and it’s unclear how the animal died.

The NOAA has removed the wanted poster of Bietz from its website.

“The individual has been located, and it was determined that no marine mammal parts were removed from the beach. We thank the public for their help and concern in this matter,” NOAA wrote in a message.

California sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, meaning harassing, harming, killing or feeding the animals is prohibited.

Anyone who violates the act can face thousands of dollars in fines and, if convicted criminally, up to a year in prison per violation, officials said.