Poachers in Stillwater County

[Nemont]

Why are fines for this so low? A couple of grand or less doesn't even phase people. Prison time maybe is in order.

http://www.stillwatercountynews.com/story1.html

Illegal hunting ring spills into Stillwater County
By Marlo Pronovost
SCN Reporter


An ongoing investigation into illegally, professionally guided hunting trips in Sweetgrass County has extended into Stillwater County.

Four men from Georgia were cited and recently sentenced for their roles in illegally guided hunting trips led by the national company PanAngling/PanHunting, based in Naples, Florida.

The case was launched by a citizen tip, which Fish, Wildlife and Parks criminal investigator Jeff Scott turned into an undercover sting operation that spanned almost one year in which deer, elk and turkeys were killed.

Russell Jay Rhoden, Lee H. Smith, Lee W. Burkhalter and Daniel Sikes each received multiple misdemeanor tickets for hunts that took place in November 2007.

All four pleaded guilty were fined and had their hunting licenses suspended for three years.
The specific charges are as follows:


Photo courtesy of Yellowstone National Park
During a two year period, at least 19 elk, deer and other game animals are believed to have been illegal killed.

•Rhoden, a 33-year-old of Reidsville, Ga, was charged with misdemeanor crimes
-Waste/Abandon Game Animal (game fish) or bird on Nov.8, 2007.
-Failure to tag or validate turkey on Nov. 18, 2007.
-Unlawful possession of a hunting or fishing license or permit of another on Nov.15, 2007.
-Hunt/Trap/Attempt to Hunt/Trap or Possess Game Bird/Fish, etc on Nov.1 2007.
-Hunt/Trap/Attempt to Hunt/Trap or Possess Game Animal(deer antelope/elk/mountain lion) on Nov. 15, 2007
Rhoden had his hunting license suspended for three years, was ordered to pay $1,050 in fines and fees plus $500 in restitution.


•Smith, a 59-year-old from Georgia, was cited with two counts of Hunting/Trapping/Attempting to Hunt/Trap or Possess Game Deer (deer/antelope/elk/mountain lion). One violation occurred in November 2006 and the second in November 2007.


Smith pleaded guilty to the charges on Jan. 3, 2008, had his hunting license suspended for three years, was fined a total of fined $1,070 and ordered to pay $500 in restitution.


•Burkhalter, a 37-year-old from Claxton, Ga, was cited for one count of Hunting/Trapping/Attempting to Hunt/Trap or Possess Game Deer (deer/antelope/elk/mountain lion). He pleaded guilty to the charge on Jan. 3, 2008, had his hunting license suspended for three years and was ordered to pay $1,035 in fines and fees.

•Sikes, also a 37-year-old from Claxton, Ga, was cited for two misdemeanors:
-Unlawful Possession,Shipping, Transportation (Elk,Deer, Antelope, Mountain Lion) on Nov. 20, 2006.
-Hunt/Trap/Attempt to Hunt/Trap or Possess Game Animal(deer antelope/elk/mountain lion) on Nov. 14, 2007.


Sikes pleaded guilty to both counts on Nov. 14, 2008 and like his co-defendants, had his hunting license suspended for three years, was ordered to pay $1,070 plus $1,000 in restitution.


The hunting license bans will prohibit the men from hunting in a total of 25 states for the 3-year time period, due to Montana’s Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Under the compact, those 25 states have agreed to treat “a wildlife license suspension or revocation notice and/or the qualifying offense, conviction, and suspension or revocation had occurred” in each individual state, according to compact.


If the men try to apply for a license, they could be charged with another crime. Participating states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.


All four were also cited with two counts of retaining the use of an unlicensed outfitter and fined $385. Those charges were filed in Sweetgrass County. Additional Georgia hunters may also face charges in Stillwater County.


The state Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting a total of four felony charges against Dean Langton, the 39-year-old owner of PanAngling/PanHunting. Langston also stands accused of 18 misdemeanors in Sweetgrass County.


Also being prosecuted by the AG’s office is Tyler South, a 33-year-old from Naples, Florida, who faces three felony offenses. He faces 15 misdemeanors in Sweetgrass County.


Investigators contend that although Langton lists a Big Timber address, he is not a Montana resident.


In an article published Monday, Jan. 21., in the Great Falls Tribune, Dean said the case is a matter of “conflicting interpretations of Montana game law.”


Langton is quoted as saying he was hired by private ranchers in the Big Timber area to conduct the hunts and that some of the proceeds went to those ranchers.


Under state law, you can guide on your own property or have an employee of the property/ranch guide for you. Because Dean does not receive a weekly paycheck from these private ranchers, he is not considered an employee, according to the article.


“I did this on a pretty small scale in Montana specifically to help out three or four ranchers,” with property in the Big Timber area, Langton said in the article. “Some of these landowners don’t have the expertise to conduct a hunt that would justify the type of funds that we can charge with our clientele.”


In addition to being accused of being in possession of several unlawfully taken big game animals, the two men are accused of taking undercover investigators hunting without a license.

 

[JoseCuervo]

My guess is the Georgia boys got off easy for agreeing to plead guilty and sing like a canary to help the State get Langdon and South. Langdon has the felonies that I am guessing the State really wants to win.

 

[noharleyyet]

Langton is quoted as saying he was hired by private ranchers in the Big Timber area to conduct the hunts and that some of the proceeds went to those ranchers.

If proven, will the landowners be complicit?

 

[TheTone]

I'd say Jose nailed it. The state is really wanting to hammer those who were more involved with the actual illegal outfitting, not so much the illegal clients.