‘Deadliest Catch’ Star Arrested in Florida

A cast member from Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch was arrested for probation violations in the Florida Keys on Saturday. Daily Caller reports that Erik James Brown, 40, also known as Erik James, was arrested over an alleged probation violation in the Stock Island section of the Keys, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department arrest log. The exact nature of the arrest and its details remain unknown. 

During his time on Deadliest Catch, Brown served as a crew member on the deep sea vessel “Summer Bay” under the command of Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski, according to Wichrowski’s website. 

Brown has a lengthy arrest record dating back to 2003, including charges for cocaine and marijuana possession, multiple driving under the influence, weapons possession, battery, carjacking, vehicle theft, hit-and-run, and multiple traffic offenses, according to The News Press.

Brown had previously been arrested for allegedly running an illegal marijuana cultivation operation from the nearly $2 million Florida home in 2018, the outlet reported. Authorities discovered 25 marijuana plants, marijuana buds in containers, pills, and paraphernalia used to smoke marijuana at the scene. Among the 23 charges against Brown were 15 drug possession charges and two charges each of marijuana and drug trafficking, one charge of marijuana possession, and several other charges.

Brown was arrested and charged in 2020 with domestic assault, battery, tampering with evidence, and marijuana-related charges, according to KeysNews.com. The victim told police she and Brown engaged in a physical argument. According to the victim, Brown threw a variety of items at her and pushed her repeatedly to the ground, causing lacerations to her arm before choking her until she was in and out of consciousness. Brown removed the battery from her cellphone to prevent her from making a 911 call.

According to Brown’s IMDb profile, the mariner has appeared in three episodes of the ongoing series based on life on the high seas. He appeared in two of the three episodes during the show’s fifteenth season in 2019, and the remaining episode aired in 2023.

In 2005, Discovery Channel premiered the hit reality show Deadliest Catch. The series chronicles the blue-collar workers involved in Alaskan crab fishing, showing different fishing boats facing off against each other as they compete for the best catch.