BARNSTABLE – From the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office: Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois announced today that 30-year-old, Christopher Stefanou of New York, was arraigned on October 21, 2026, in the Barnstable Superior Court for his involvement in cruelty to animals.
A Barnstable County Grand Jury returned indictments against Christopher Stefanou for Cruelty to Animals, and violations of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations including illegal shore-based shark fishing, unauthorized possession of a prohibited species, the illegal attracting and capturing of a white shark, and the illegal mechanized deployment of bait.
It is alleged that in October 2025, the Long Island-based Stefanou and his crew embarked on a days-long excursion on the eastern shore of Cape Cod with a European client with the goal of capturing a great white shark, resulting in the capture of “Aaron the Shark,” a great white that had been tagged and closely monitored by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, working with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Authorities were alerted to the illegal activity when Stefanou publicly posted video footage of the capture on social media showing the men using prohibited equipment, including a drone, to capture and drag the shark onto the beach, where they proceeded to celebrate and photograph themselves with the shark prior to releasing it.
Massachusetts Regulations prohibit shore-based shark fishing with equipment specifically designed to lure and capture large species of fish, including the prohibited species of white shark, in most of the waters surrounding Cape Cod. Such regulations are designed in large part to protect the public from practices that intentionally lure these prohibited species closer to the shore.
The case will be prosecuted by the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office, Assistant District Attorney Emily Nesson Cardia, and Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Sweeney, Chief of Appeals. District Attorney Galibois would like to recognize the extensive investigation conducted by the members of the Massachusetts Environmental Police, with additional assistance provided by the Massachusetts State Police Detectives Unit Assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, Wellfleet Police, and renowned shark expert, Dr. Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.
On October 21, 2026, Mr. Stefanou was arraigned in the Barnstable Superior Court on the charges of Animal Cruelty to shark, Fishing for shark, mechanical deployment of bait, Attempt to capture a shark, and possession of protected species shark. The court set bail in the amount of $10,000. In addition to bail the following conditions were also imposed: surrender fishing license, remove video, not post additional videos, stay out of MA except legal, no fishing, boating, use of drones in MA waters, video relating to allegations to be removed from social media, no advertising of fishing activities in MA waters, no posting about this case. Mr. Stefanou is due back in Barnstable Superior Court on December 11, 2026.
DA Galibois acknowledges the vital role that responsible anglers play in ensuring the long-term viability of recreational sport fishing on Cape Cod, while also understanding the need to investigate and prosecute those offenders who go outside the boundaries of well-established regulations and criminal statutes.
The Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office reiterates that all defendants are presumed innocent.
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