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(NewsNation) — A man accused of decapitating a California sea lion this summer is denying he had any wrongdoing.

Jason Bietz, who was put on a wanted poster earlier this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said he submitted a photo to the organization to prove his innocence, which showed the sea lion in the same condition nearly five hours before law enforcement arrived.

“It (the photo) showed the sea lion in the exact same position and the exact same condition as it was seen by law enforcement later that night,” Bietz acknowledged.

Officials said a white man, believed to be in his 50s or 60s, was seen using a hunting knife to cut off the de

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