Meigs CountyPoachers Convicted of 105 Wildlife Violations
Nearly two years after arrest, final sentencing is completed
ATHENS, OH – The 2007 undercover investigation dubbed “Operation Enough” is receiving closure nearly two years after the initial arrests were made for poaching deer and wild turkey in Meigs County according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
Meigs County Wildlife Officer Keith Wood, along with the Division of Wildlife’s covert enforcement unit, conducted this investigation and was assisted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and Pomeroy Police Department as they served a warrant and issued citations at seven locations on February 9, 2007.
All cases were heard in Meigs County Court by Judge Steven L. Story and prosecuted by Meigs County assistant prosecutor Matthew Donahue. The case closed with 13 individuals charged with 105 violations. In total, the group will pay $7,995 in fines plus court costs. Nearly all involved had their hunting privileges revoked anywhere from one to 15 years. Guilty individuals forfeited dozens of white-tailed deer mounts and antler racks, various hunting equipment, as well as nearly 40 firearms and three all-terrain vehicles to the Division of Wildlife.
Hobert L. Cundiff, 43, of Langsville – Pled guilty on November 13, 2008 to 17 wildlife charges including; hunting deer with the aid of a motor vehicle, transporting a loaded firearm within a motor vehicle, hunting without permission, taking more than one wild turkey per day, hunting turkey without a wild turkey permit, failure to tag wild turkey, providing false information to a check station, hunting deer without a deer permit, failure to temporary tag deer (4), failure to check deer (4) and hunting outside of legal shooting times. Cundiff was fined $5,100 plus court costs with $4,100 suspended. He was sentenced to 18 months of jail time and will serve 30 days, a 15 year hunting rights revocation and five years probation. Cundiff must also successfully complete a hunter education course.
Tracey L. Cundiff, 39, of Langsville – Pled no contest and found guilty on November 13, 2008 to charges of providing false information to a deer check station and aiding and assisting in taking deer illegally. She was fined $450 plus court costs with $450 suspended, five years of hunting privilege revocation, two years probation, and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Travis L. Cundiff, 20, of Langsville – Pled no contest and found guilty on November 13, 2008 to 16 wildlife related charges including; hunting without a hunting license (4), hunting deer without a deer tag (4), failure to temporarily tag deer, failure to permanently check deer, hunting deer with a shotgun during closed season (2), take more than one antlered deer, possession of illegal/untagged parts, aid an offender in violating wildlife laws, and hunting deer with the aid of a motor vehicle. He was fined $3,000 in fines plus court costs with $2,250 suspended. His sentence also included 540 days of jail time with 530 suspended, a 15 year hunting rights revocation and 5 years probation. Cundiff must also successfully complete a hunter education course.
Jason L. Miller, 26, of Langsville – Pled no contest and found guilty on November 13, 2008 of seven charges including hunting without permission, taking a second antlered deer, failure to temporary tag a deer, failure to permanently tag a deer, hunting with a shotgun during closed season (2), and hunting deer with the aid of a motor vehicle. Miller was fined $2,100 with $1,600 suspended, 90 days of jail time (suspended), 100 hours of community service, five years hunting privilege revocation, two years probation, and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Gerald W. McQuirt, 66, of Grove City – Pled guilty in March 2007 to the charges of possession of illegal deer parts, hunting and taking deer with the aid of a motor vehicle and providing a check station with false information. He was sentenced to a $600 fine plus court costs, 150 days in jail – suspended, one year hunting privilege revocation, two years probation, and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Danniel L. McQuirt, 43, of Grove City – Pled guilty in March 2007 to three wildlife violations including; hunting without permission, hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, transporting a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, and pled no contest to the charge of hunting without a fur-taker permit. He was sentenced to a $690 fine plus court costs, 300 days in jail – suspended, one year hunting privilege revocation, two years probation, and must successfully pass a hunter education course.
Sharon A. Thomas, 61 of Langsville –Pled guilty in February 2007 to three wildlife related charges including; attaching a temporary tag to a deer killed by another, receiving or possessing an untagged deer and providing false information to a check station. She was sentenced to pay a $390 fine plus court costs, serve 60 days of jail time (suspended), one year hunting privilege revocation, two years probation and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Darrell L. Thomas, 65 of Langsville –Pled guilty in February 2007 to four wildlife related charges including; improperly tag a deer, deer permit violations (2) and hunting without a license. He was fined $340 plus court costs, sentenced to 60 days of jail time (suspended), one year hunting license revocation, two years probation, and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Jeffery E. Fowler, 28, of Pomeroy – Pled guilty in February 2007 to five wildlife related charges including; possession of slugs during youth season, hunting deer without a deer permit, hunting without a license, possession of improperly tagged deer and providing false information to a check station. He was ordered to pay $360 in fines plus court costs. Further sentencing included 240 days in jail (suspended), two years of hunting license revocation, three years probation, 200 hours of community service and must successfully complete a hunter safety course.
Mark J. Minshall, 33, of Pomeroy – Pled guilty to in February 2007 to eight wildlife related charges including; hunting without a license (2), providing false information to a check station, hunting deer without a deer permit (2), possess improperly tagged deer, failure to attach temporary tag and failure to permanently tag a deer. Minshall was ordered to pay a $600 fine plus court costs. Further sentencing included 270 days of jail time with 260 days suspended, a six year hunting revocation, three years probation, 50 hours community service, and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Rex H Briggs, 48, of Langsville – Pled no contest to 23 wildlife related charges in July 2007. Charges included improperly tagging deer taking (5) possession of improperly tagged deer (4), providing false information to a check station (5), failure to permanently tag deer, failure to temporarily tag wild turkey (2), failure to permanently tag wild turkey (3), taking more than the legal bag limit of wild turkey, taking more than the legal bag limit of deer (2). Briggs was fined $1,000 plus court costs. Further sentencing included 690 days in jail (suspended), 10 year hunting privilege revocation, five years probation, forfeiture of all equipment used in illegal taking, revocation of wildlife check station operator status, and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Mary E. Nelson, 51, of Langsville – Pled guilty in August of 2007 to nine wildlife related charges including providing false information to a check station (4), failure to properly tag deer, possess a deer that is improperly tagged, failure to permanently tag a wild turkey, hunting without a license and hunting deer without a deer tag. She was fined $3150 plus court costs with $2625 suspended, 30 days of jail time (suspended) and faces a six year hunting license revocation with five years of probation and must successfully complete a hunter education course.
Ronald E. Hawkins, 49, of Middleport - Pled no contest in February 2007 to four wildlife related violations including; improper tagging of wildlife (2), improper record keeping, and illegal transport of migratory game birds. He was fined $1240.