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No fine increase for Stars owner Tom Gaglardi for damaging fish habitat

KAMLOOPS, British Columbia -- A British Columbia appeals court judge has denied a prosecution request to increase Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi's $140,000 fine for polluting a lake during renovations on his Kamloops vacation property.

Gaglardi was found guilty in December on two counts of harmful alteration of a fish habitat for work done in 2010. Prosecutors on Thursday asked Justice Susan Griffin of the British Columbia Supreme Court to raise the fine to $500,000, but Griffin ruled the lesser penalty was appropriate under case law.

Gaglardi also owns the Western Hockey League's Kamloops Blazers and heads Northland Properties, which was convicted on the same charges. His father, Robert Gaglardi, was found not guilty.

Gaglardi apologized for the damage during a sentence hearing.