Anchorage, Alaska
U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a cable TV hunting
show host and four other individuals charged in the investigation have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in Anchorage United States District Court for their participation in a multi-year poaching operation on the Noatak National Preserve.
Read the press release from the US Attorney's Office here
Nov. 25, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TWO DANVILLE MEN CHARGED WITH POACHING MULTIPLE DEER
DALLAS – The Northeast Region Office of the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced that two Danville men were charged with several violations of the Game and Wildlife Code for the unlawful killing of multiple white-tailed deer in Northumberland and Montour counties. The incidents took place between Oct. 30, and Nov. 15, 2015.
Kevin J. Smeltzer, 18, of Boyd Station Road, and Isaac A. Troutman, 20, of Tower Drive, both face charges of killing multiple deer outside of legal deer hunting hours and through the use of a light.
Charges were filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge Marvin Shrawder by Northumberland County District Wildlife Conservation Officer Jason Kelley. Smeltzer and Troutman were each charged with two misdemeanor counts and several summary counts of Unlawful Killing or Taking of Big Game.
On the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 16, Kelley, along with other Game Commission officers, responded to information concerning two antlerless deer carcasses that were located along railroad tracks near the Smeltzer residence. A subsequent investigation revealed that the deer were unlawfully killed and linked five other unlawfully killed deer, including one eight-point buck, to the defendants. Only the backstraps were removed from all except one of the deer, with the remainder of the meat left to rot.
Wildlife Conservation Officers seized one rifle, one crossbow, one compound bow, one spotlight, and several pounds of venison as evidence.
“Hunters who follow the law find these acts of poaching repulsive and should be thankful that these individuals were apprehended,” said Northeast Region Law Enforcement Supervisor Mark Rutkowski. “Our officers did an outstanding job in responding to the poaching information received and conducting a thorough investigation.”
Source: Ken Fitz, Ohio DNR Chief Wildlife Enforcement Officer
On Tuesday, November 17th, due to a collaborative effort between the Ohio Division of Natural Resources, Hocking County Sheriff’s Office, Vinton County Sheriff’s Office and US Marshal SOFAST task force, a violent offender was apprehended in Southwestern Hocking County.
The arrest arose out of an incident which occurred late in the evening on Friday, November 13th, when an ODNR Wildlife Officer attempted to stop a vehicle in Northern Vinton County for wildlife violations.
When the vehicle finally stopped for officers, two of the three occupants fled on foot into the woods. Multiple Wildlife Officers pursued the suspects on foot. As officers began to close in on the subjects, one of the males began discharging a firearm.
Two suspects fled on foot avoided apprehension that evening, but the third, Shawn Barber, 28 of McArthur, was detained. Upon searching the area adjacent to vehicle, a large amount of methamphetamine was located along with a handgun and an assault rifle with a high capacity magazine.
One of the two males, who fled, was identified as Timothy Ousley, 27 of McArthur. He was apprehended in Jackson County on Monday.
ODNR Investigators determined the other individual was Kevin Wright, 28 of Logan and was who discharged the firearm.
Wright had a bench warrant for his arrest for failure to appear to sign his bond after he was arraigned in Hocking County Common Pleas Court on charges of Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs, (F-3) Aggravated Possession of Drugs, (F-5) Possession of Drugs, (F-5) and Possessing Criminal Tools, (F-5).
Wright also had an outstanding warrant from Vinton County for Failure to appear on a Dangerous Drug charge.
Based on the seriousness of the alleged offense and that the suspect was considered armed and dangerous, the US Marshal SOFAST task force was requested to assist with the apprehension of Wright.
On Tuesday afternoon, officers from ODNR, HCSO and SOFAST located Wright in a camper on Sams Creek Road just inside Ross County. As officers approached the camper, Wright fled into the woods on foot and was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit.
Officers located the firearm that they believed was used on Friday along with ammunition and various narcotics.
ODNR will be charging Ousley and Barber for numerous felony charges including Trafficking in Methamphetamine, (F-2), Possession of Methamphetamine, (F-2), Obstructing Justice, (F-4) and Obstructing Official Business, (F-5).
Wright will be facing the same charges with an additional charge of Felonious Assault on a Peace Officer, (F-1).
SOFAST is a fugitive-focused, U.S. Marshals Service-led task force consisting of local, state and federal authorities including the Columbus Police Department, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Delaware County Probation, Hocking County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Reynoldsburg Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Secret Service.
Read a media account here
It is a familiar story in Southeast Asia. In truth, it has become a familiar story almost everywhere: China’s vast appetite for luxury items was the underlying cause of last week’s execution-style killing of two government conservation workers in Cambodia.
Sieng Darong, a 47-year-old forest ranger, and Sab Yoh, a 29-year-old police officer, were murdered as they slept on Nov. 7, shot with AK-47-style heavy weapons. A third member of the team survived with injuries, and a fourth escaped. The killings happened shortly after the team confiscated chain saws at an illegal logging site in northwestern Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Protected Forest.
Read the story here
[Maine Warden Service: November 18, 2015] Maine game wardens believe they have identified those responsible for the illegal killing of at least four deer back in April of this year. All four deer found were does, were believed to have been killed at night in open fields, and were left to waste in the towns of Chesterville, Livermore Falls (East Livermore), Livermore, and Leeds.
This past week, Maine game wardens issued summonses to four males, two of which were juveniles. Zachary Black, age 19, from Jay and Kyle Elliott, age 19, from Fayette were both charged with night hunting. Two juveniles from Livermore were also charged with night hunting. Additional charges are likely in this case. Black, Elliott, and the two juveniles are scheduled to appear in Androscoggin and Franklin County District Courts in February.
This was an extensive six-month investigation. Numerous night surveillance details were performed in the area by game wardens to help apprehend those responsible. The case’s primary investigator, Game Warden Dave Chabot, stated today that “this case proved very detrimental to Maine’s deer heard in that area. The public once again worked with us and provided very helpful information; we appreciate their help very much.”
The Maine Warden Service wishes to thank the Maine State Police for their assistance, the countless members of the public who provided information, and Maine Operation Game Thief (OGT) for their participation in helping bring awareness to this case.
Operation Game Thief (OGT) has offered a reward of up to $3,500 for anyone who could provide information that leads to a conviction for those responsible in this case. Game wardens are currently working with OGT to determine reward eligibility.
Case summary: At approximately 2:00 PM on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, Maine game wardens responded to a complaint of an injured deer near the intersection of Bragdon Road (a.k.a. French Road) and East Road in Chesterville. Upon arrival, a deer was located in a field posted “No Trespassing” with a fatal gunshot wound to the spine. The doe deer was pregnant with twin fawns. Three additional doe deer have were subsequently located and also left to waste. A doe deer was shot on Route 106 in Leeds, another was shot on Route 133 near Dodge Road in Livermore Falls (East Livermore) and a third doe was shot on River Road in Livermore. The four doe deer all appear to have been killed under similar circumstances and left to waste. It is suspected that other deer may have been killed but were not located.