A lawyer for a Soviet-born man accused of attacking a rare Hawaiian monk seal said he was trying to protect turtles.

A lawyer for a businessman accused of harassing an endangered Hawaiian monk seal has publicly come to his defense after video of the incident went viral and sparked outrage, reports Fox News.

Investigators believe 38-year-old Igor Litvinchuk, a resident of Covington, Washington, threw a rock at the head of a rare seal—one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. The incident occurred earlier this month on the island of Maui and was filmed by bystanders.

Last week, Litvinchuk was arrested near Seattle. He faces charges of stalking and attempting to stalk a protected species in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the U.S. Department of Justice reported.

On the subject: In Hawaii, a tourist from the former Soviet Union threw a rock at the head of a rare seal: the man faces imprisonment.

For each count, he faces up to one year in prison, as well as fines: up to $50,000 under the first law and up to $20,000 under the second.

Defense attorney Miles Bryner argues that his client did not intend to harm the animal.

"I want to make it as clear as possible: it was not his intention to injure the seal," he said in an interview with KHON television.

According to the defense attorney, Litvinchuk believed he was protecting sea turtles, the honya, which were resting on the coastal rocks.

"He wanted to scare the seal away from the turtles he saw there. As far as I understand, there were two large turtles there, and the seal had already pushed one of them off the rock," the lawyer said.

He also claims his client was unaware that Hawaiian monk seals are endangered. He acted based on previous experience—specifically, encounters with aggressive sea lions while fishing in Washington state.

"Sea lions are aggressive. They take bait and can carry off fish—that's exactly what he's experienced," Bryner explained.

According to the prosecution, the key evidence was a video that circulated online and witness testimony. The case file claims that Litvinchuk told witnesses he was "rich enough to pay any fines." His lawyer disputes this.

In the video, a woman can be heard screaming, "What are you doing? Why are you throwing a rock at him?" as a man in a white T-shirt and swimming trunks throws a rock toward a seal on the Maui coast.

After witnesses reprimanded him, Litvinchuk, according to investigators, responded that he could pay the fines if problems arose.

According to business records, he owns a logistics and transportation company in Kent, Washington.

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The lawyer says his client is prepared to accept responsibility for breaking the law, but disputes the claim that he deliberately tried to harm the animal.

"He understands he made the wrong decision. But it wasn't made with any intention to cause harm," Bryner said.

The defense also disputes the interpretation of his words about money.

"That was misunderstood. He said, 'I can afford it,'" the lawyer added.

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