San Diego

Two commercial fishermen and two owners of a wholesale seafood outlet pleaded guilty to charges Monday that they illegally smuggled rock crab from Mexico into the United States.

Robert Burnley, 42, of Bonita, and Kevin Farrer, 30, of Pacific Beach, admitted they had fished in Mexican waters and, bypassing the Customs Service, brought back 10 barrels of crabs to the United States on July 21, 1987.

The owners of the Crab Company, William Sanders, 53, and his 20-year-old son, William Sanders Jr., admitted their participation in the scheme. Their business is based in Miramar.

Burnley also pleaded guilty to obstructing an Internal Revenue Service investigation by not reporting his full income. The elder Sanders pleaded guilty to filing a false federal income tax return.

Burnley and the elder Sanders face a maximum four-year term in federal prison and $350,000 in fines. Farrer faces a maximum two-year term and a $200,000 fine. The younger Sanders faces a maximum one-year sentence and a $100,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge William Enright set sentencing for Sept. 26.

According to an affidavit filed by a U.S. Customs Service investigator, the fishermen have been smuggling thousands of pounds of rock crab from Mexico into the United States for several years.

The smuggling was carried out by boat in the early morning hours and the crabs were transferred to Sanders and his son, according to the affidavit.

Farrer and the Crab Company operators remain free on $50,000 bail, while Burnley is free on $100,000 bail.