Category: Poachers

California: Lassen County Raptor Poacher Convicted

The largest raptor poaching case in known California history has ended in a conviction in Lassen County, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced.

Richard Parker, 68, of Standish pled guilty to crimes associated with poaching in excess of 150 raptors and other wildlife on his rural Lassen County property. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and given a $75,000 fine and five years of probation. Probation terms include full search authority, prohibitions on possessing firearms, hunting and fishing, and a requirement to obey all laws. The two firearms used during the commission of the crimes were ordered destroyed by the court.

In March 2018, wildlife officers assigned to Lassen County received an anonymous tip from someone who reportedly witnessed a man killing a hawk near the town of Standish. The wildlife officer conducted covert surveillance of the suspect, then visited the private property and discovered nine dead raptors. The entire local Lassen/Plumas County Wildlife Officer squad later returned to the property with a search warrant. A search of the home and 80-acre property turned up more than 150 carcasses of protected birds and other wildlife in various states of decay, along with spent rifle casings. Most of the birds were red-tailed hawks, but several other species of hawks, other nongame birds and an owl were found. Four of the birds were migratory ferruginous hawks, which are uncommon in the area. Officers also located two dead bobcats and one taxidermied mountain lion, all of which were suspected to be unlawfully taken. Read more

Poachers

Ohio: Major Fish and Wildlife Poaching Ring Shut Down

COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has closed the adjudication phase of what has become the largest case in the 146-year history of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The case, dubbed Operation North Coast, culminated in March 2016 with the execution of search warrants, arrest warrants and dozens of simultaneous interviews. The case primarily concerned the illegal taking and sales of Lake Erie sportfish and white-tailed deer meat products in counties along the Lake Erie shoreline. Since the takedown, state wildlife investigators have spent 2.5 years attending court hearings in Cuyahoga, Lorain, Lucas, Richland, Ottawa and Wood counties.

Following the initial search warrants and interviews, state wildlife investigators reviewed thousands of documents, conducted approximately 200 interviews, executed additional search warrants, examined hundreds of digital and physical evidence items that were seized and attended approximately 100 court hearings. Of the items seized were one vehicle, 96 deer and turkey mounts, 35 sets of antlers, more than 200 pounds of filleted sportfish and 400 pounds of de-boned venison and processed deer meat.

Nine defendants, including one in Wood County and eight in Cuyahoga County, were subsequently charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and associated crimes for operating as a criminal enterprise. The ODNR Division of Wildlife asserted that members of the group took deer illegally, often not tagging or reporting the harvests as required by law. The group would also create false harvest records by checking deer in the names of others to cover illegally taken deer meat and/or antlers. The agency further asserted that the deer meat was laundered into venison “smokies” that were sold or bartered for taxidermy and other services. Read more

Poachers

Florida: FWC Arrests 9 for Conspiracy, Animal Cruelty, Racketeering, Other Violations

FWC arrests 9 for conspiracy, animal cruelty, bear baiting violations after long-term investigation.  All suspects and charges are found later in this release.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution today announced the arrests of nine individuals after a year-long investigation into the illegal baiting, taking and molestation of Florida black bears by the use of dogs for commercial purposes.

During the investigation, FWC officers gathered evidence of numerous illegal acts in several Florida counties on both private and public lands. Prosecution of this case is being coordinated by the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

“Thanks to the comprehensive action of law enforcement, led by the dedicated officers of the FWC, those responsible for these inhumane acts will face the full force of the law. In Florida, we have no tolerance for vile animal cruelty, and we will hold anyone accountable who commits this heinous crime,” said Gov. Rick Scott. Read more

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Michigan: Wayne County resident charged in bull elk poaching

A 60-year-old Taylor resident has been charged with the illegal killing of a bull elk, after an investigation by Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and police in Otsego County.

The incident occurred Saturday, south of Vanderbilt.

The name of the man is not being released pending his arraignment in Otsego County District Court. The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $2,000.

In addition, mandatory penalties include $5,000 restitution for the animal, more for an antlered elk, and hunting privileges being revoked for 15 years on a first offense.

At about 9:50 a.m. Saturday, Otsego County dispatchers received a tip about the elk poaching. The information was forwarded to conservation officers operating the DNR’s Report All Poaching line (800-292-7800).

A Michigan State Police trooper and an Otsego County Sheriff’s deputy were able to locate the carcass of the elk, the crossbow used to kill the animal and the suspect. Read more

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Michigan: Marquette County man confesses to killing buck within city limits

A 37-year-old Marquette man confessed Monday to Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers to illegally killing a buck inside the city limits.

The man’s name has not been released. County prosecutors are reviewing charges in the case, which could be either misdemeanors or civil infractions.

At about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, conservation officers received a tip from the public that a man claimed to have killed a trophy 12-point buck that was well-known to residents of a Marquette subdivision.

“He claimed to have killed the buck in Deerton, which is located about 20 miles from the subdivision,” said acting Lt. Ryan Aho. “Over the past few years, multiple residents of the community have shared pictures of the buck on social media, which they had seen regularly walking through yards.”

Acting on the tip, conservation officers contacted the man Monday morning. Following an interview, the man confessed to shooting the deer within the city limits.

“He also admitted to trespassing on private land located about a quarter mile from his residence,” Aho said. “The deer was killed over a bait pile from a blind constructed from trees cut illegally on the private property.” Read more

Poachers

Michigan DNR investigating elk poaching incident in Montmorency County

Michigan conservation officers in the northern Lower Peninsula are investigating the illegal killing of two bull elk, north of Atlanta.

The carcasses of the two animals were discovered Saturday off Montmorency County Road 622, near Roth Road. The location is about 7 miles north of Atlanta, just south of Clear Lake State Park.

“Both elk were shot, likely sometime around Nov. 15,” said Lt. James Gorno, a district law supervisor with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Gaylord. “If anyone saw anything or has any information that would assist with the investigation, we’d like to hear from them.”

Tips may be left anonymously, and monetary rewards often are offered for information that leads to the arrest of violators.

To contact investigators, please call the DNR Law Enforcement Division at the Gaylord Operations Center at 989-732-3541 or call or text the 24-hour Report All Poaching line at 800-292-7800.

Poachers

Ohio Wildlife Offenders Sentenced in Theft/Poaching Case in Northwest Ohio

FINDLAY, OH – Two Lucas County residents were recently convicted in Henry County Common Pleas Court following a two-year poaching and theft investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

Edward Polansky, 28, of Holland, and Rodney Polansky, 33, of Toledo, were convicted of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a felony in the 1st degree, and failure to comply with an order of a police officer, a felony in the 3rd degree.

The investigation began in the fall of 2015, when the ODNR Division of Wildlife received multiple theft reports from hunters who had their vehicles broken into while hunting on public lands in Williams, Fulton, Henry, and Lucas counties. Also, during this time the ODNR Division of Wildlife received several deer poaching complaints that were later connected to the Polanskys as a result of the investigation.

A break in the case came in December of 2016, when a hunter witnessed the Polanskys break into his vehicle. This led to the Polanskys arrest and the execution of multiple search warrants by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The search warrants recovered numerous stolen items including firearms and other hunting related equipment, a snow blower stolen from the ODNR Division of Wildlife, and several illegally taken and possessed deer antlers. In total, 28 victims reported 177 items stolen over a two-year period.

Edward and Rodney Polansky were sentenced to four years in prison, to be served consecutively, and five years of post-release control. Both men lost their hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for ten years. All evidence was forfeited to the state and items belonging to the victims were returned. The men were ordered to split the payment of $30,823.56 in restitution, to be paid to the victims for damages and loss of property, and to the state for six deer taken or possessed unlawfully. A total of $3,006.44 in court costs was also ordered to be paid. Read more

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Iowa: two Waterloo men charged with illegally killing antlered deer

WATERLOO – On Thursday, August 2, 2018 at 1:26 a.m., Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau was contacted by the Waterloo Police Department after they conducted a traffic stop of two males who had illegally killed two antlered deer that were still in velvet.

A DNR Conservation Officer responded and charged Paul Lu, 31, and Kyaw Wahny, 19, both of Waterloo, with a total of 14 charges related to this case, totaling $2,244. It has been requested that each of the men pay $4,000 for liquidated damages for the deer.

“This case was a phenomenal demonstration of agencies working together to put an end to illegal deer poaching,” said DNR Conservation Officer Dakota Drish. ”These two men would likely not have been caught if it weren’t for the diligence of the Waterloo police officers.” Read more

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New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking in Lion and Tiger Parts

Arongkron “Paul” Malasukum, 42, a resident of Woodside, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III, in Sherman, Texas, to nine months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release for illegally trafficking parts from endangered African lions and tigers.

Malasukum previously pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson to a one count information charging him with wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act.

In papers filed in federal court, Malasukum admitted to meeting with undercover agents who were working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and purchasing a tiger skull from the agents. Malasukum also admitted to purchasing lion skulls from an auction house in Texas through the undercover agents, who were acting as “straw buyers” for Malasukum. Malasukum provided the undercover agents with cash and directed them on which items to bid and ultimately win. After the purchases, Malasukum shipped the tiger and lion skulls from Texas to his home in Woodside, New York. From New York, Malasukum shipped the skulls to Thailand for sale to a wholesale buyer.

As part of his plea, Malasukum admitted that between April 9, 2015 and June 29, 2016, he purchased and exported from the United States to Thailand approximately 68 packages containing skulls, claws, and parts from endangered and protected species, with a total fair market value in excess of $150,000. Read more

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Kentucky: Illegal Deer Leads to Drug Charges

Marion County man arrested following investigation by conservation officers

 

FRANKFORT, KY  — The report of a deer fawn being kept illegally led to drug charges against a man and his mother in Marion County.
On Monday, June 11, conservation officers with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources charged 26-year-old Matt White, of Lebanon, Ky., with holding protected wildlife and one count of cultivation of five or more marijuana plants.
Officers also charged White’s mother, 59-year-old Lebanon resident Mary Colvin, with driving under the influence, possession of marijuana and having an open container of alcohol in her vehicle. Colvin arrived at the scene while officers were obtaining a search warrant for White’s residence on McElroy Pike.
Conservation officers were called to the residence after receiving a report of a captive deer fawn. In Kentucky, it is illegal for the public to keep a deer fawn.

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