Iowa man charged in theft of ginseng plants

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa man is charged with illegally taking 134 ginseng plants from a state preserve.

The plant has significant value and is typically sold in Asia, where it’s used as a natural medicine, the Dubuque Telegraph Herald reported (https://bit.ly/1wggupL ). Nate Johnson, a conservation officer with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said ginseng usually sells for up to $1,200 per pound during a dry year.

Allan W. Gates of Central City is set to appear in Dubuque District Court next month to face charges of one count of fourth-degree theft, 134 counts of harvesting ginseng in a state preserve, 106 counts of failure to retain entire ginseng plant while in the field and 12 counts of taking ginseng plants under the legal size.

The district court clerk’s office said records don’t show an attorney for Gates.

Conservation officers with the state’s natural resources department say they saw Gates, 53, last month carrying a bag and shovel while walking out from the White Pine Hollow State Preserve.

According to a criminal complaint, Gates told officers he was out for a walk but allegedly later admitted to digging up the ginseng. Officers found he had 134 plants in his bag.

Johnson said people often pick wild ginseng illegally, but it’s hard to catch them in the act.

“They’re very sophisticated in how they sneak in,” Johnson said. “They will have someone drop them off, so we can’t see a parked car, or they can boat up a river to a wooded area.”

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Information from: Telegraph Herald, https://www.thonline.com