Sea lion stabbing suspect pleads not guilty to charges

A 24-year-old Garden Grove man accused of stabbing a sea lion in Newport Beach that later had to be euthanized pleaded not guilty to federal charges Monday.

The misdemeanor charges of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act were filed against Hai Nguyen Aug. 31 in U.S. District Court.

Nguyen has been ordered to contact the court to arrange futures dates for pretrial and preliminary hearings and he is still out on bail, authorities said.

Orange County prosecutors originally filed animal cruelty charges against Nguyen, but they later yielded to federal prosecutors.

— Kelly Strodl