In what the Maine Marine Patrol calls an "egregious" violation of the law, a Stonington lobsterman has been charged with possessing hundreds of undersized lobsters and illegal female lobsters.

If convicted, Theodore Gray, 34, faces potential jail time and more than $100,000 in fines.

The Marine Patrol said that on May 9 it charged Gray with possessing 269 undersized lobsters and 123 female lobsters with so-called V-notches, as well as 20 traps owned by another lobsterman.

Several aspects of the case remain under investigation and additional charges may be filed, according to the Marine Patrol.

"Through my 28-year career I have only seen a handful of what I would call extreme violations like this involving the taking of short lobsters," said Marine Patrol Maj. Jon Cornish. "In the last 24 years, there have only been two such cases, which make this one of the most egregious violations I have seen."

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