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Accused monk seal rock thrower pleads not guilty in Hawaii court
The man accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty to charges of harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal in a Honolulu courtroom on Wednesday.
HONOLULU - A Covington man accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty in a Hawaii courtroom on Wednesday.
What we know:
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, was arrested on May 13 in Washington after video of a beach encounter on Maui spread rapidly across social media.
Investigators say the event took place on May 5, 2026, along the shoreline in Lahaina, Maui. Video captured Lytvynchuk throwing a rock the size of a coconut at the head of a seal while it was playing with a floating log. When people on the beach stopped Lytvynchuk and threatened to call the police, he reportedly responded, "I don't care, fine me, I'm rich," adding he was "rich enough to pay the fines."
Screenshots from a social media video showing a man, identified as Lytvynchuk, throwing a rock at an endangered monk seal. (Credit: Kaylee Schnitzer)
Lytvynchuk faced a federal judge in Hawaii on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to his two charges, harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal.
Prosecutors argued his actions violated the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Meanwhile, Lytvynchuk's defense team claimed he thought the monk seal was "an aggressive sea lion and was trying to get it away from turtles." His lawyer said he's received death threats and other forms of harassment following the viral video.
The judge ruled Lytvynchuk can remain out of custody while the case proceeds, but ordered he stays away from beaches and marine wildlife while in Hawaii. He is permitted to attend any future hearings remotely from Washington, and must get prior approval if traveling to Oahu.
The judge also noted that Igor is "naturalized" and previously surrendered his passport. He warned that if convicted, Igor's passport would be transferred to the state department and possibly ICE.
While the hearing was underway, protesters were present inside and outside the courtroom.
"We are tired of entitled tourists, we’re tired of these corrupt agencies who ignore what the Hawaiian people want," said Sweet T, a Hawaiian wildlife advocate.
"You got to pay for what you've done, you got to pay the price, it’s like anything else. You have to pay the fine, probation, time in prison whatever, whatever it takes," said Walter Woods, who came to watch Lytvynchuk's hearing.
By the numbers:
Hawaiian monk seals are among the rarest marine mammals on Earth. Only about 1,600 of the animals remain in the wild, and they are found exclusively on the Hawaiian Islands, where they are strictly protected by federal law.
The event drew widespread community outrage after the video began spreading online. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen later released a statement addressing the visitor's behavior, stating, "Let me be clear, this is not the kind of visitor we welcome on Maui."
"This is where we live and we respect everything in the islands you know, but don’t just come over here and do something like this and try to make an excuse to get away with it," said Leti Tootoo, an Oahu resident.
WA man released after Seattle court hearing for monk seal attack
Igor Lytvynchuk was released after his federal court appearance in Seattle, but is due for another in Honolulu on May 27.
What's next:
Lytvynchuk faces a maximum prison sentence of one year for each federal charge and a maximum fine of $70,000 if convicted.
His next court date is expected on June 9.
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WA man accused of hurling rock at Hawaiian seal pleads not guilty
The Covington, Washington man accused of throwing a rock at the head of an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty in a federal courtroom in Honolulu on Wednesday.
The Source: Information in this story came from the U.S. Department of Justice, court documents filed in U.S. District Court, a press release by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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