Fraud Licenses Have High Cost

DID YOU KNOW IT COST SOMEONE $7,393 TO HUNT ILLEGALLY IN SD?

Conservation Officer Doug Day of Flandreau received a TIP’s call from an individual suspecting that a person was not a South Dakota resident but was receiving resident licenses by using a South Dakota address.

Officer Day conducted an investigation, arrested the suspect, and confiscated the poacher's buck deer.

The violator posted a $500 cash bond and was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on four Moody county charges. Additional charges were possible in five other S.D. counties. He faced possible charges for 16 counts of fraudulently purchasing resident licenses dating as far back as 1992, 3 counts of taking big game without the proper license, possession of drivers licenses from two states, making false statements on a S.D. drivers license application, and two counts of ineligible big game applications.

The violator appeared with his attorney in Moody County court to accept a plea agreement reached with the prosecuting attorney.  The violator pled "No Contest" to two counts of fraud on obtaining resident licenses.  He paid fines and costs of $1500, was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 177 days suspended (will serve 3 days), will lose his privilege to hunt, fish and trap in South Dakota for 3 years, forfeited his South Dakota drivers license, will have his Iowa drivers license suspended for 30 days, and will be on good behavior for one year. Also, as part of the agreement, he will pay restitution to Game, Fish and Parks in the amount of $2193, the difference between what he paid for resident licenses and what he should have paid as a non-resident. In addition to the criminal case and attorney’s fees, he faces $3,700 in civil damages for the game taken illegally in South Dakota.

One call is all it took to catch this poacher.  Should you be the next  TIPs caller, you can be entitled to a cash reward just like this caller.