February 23, 2010
Iowan loses hunting rights in 32 states
WEST LIBERTY, Iowa — A West Liberty man has been ordered to pay $1,400 in fines and civil penalties after pleading guilty to three turkey poaching charges in Kansas.
Lane C. Roszell, 19, pleaded guilty to charges in Smith County District Court in Smith Center, Kan., after an investigation by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
He was charged after officials from the Iowa DNR received information from the Turn in Poachers, or TIP, hotline in November 2009. Investigation by the Iowa DNR revealed Roszell had traveled to Smith Center in November 2008 on a fall turkey hunting trip. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks determined that Roszell had purchased one wild turkey hunting permit for the 2008 fall turkey hunting season in Kansas, but later had four wild turkeys in his possession.
On Jan. 30, Roszell was charged with nine hunting violations in Kansas, including three counts of hunting or taking a wild turkey without a valid Kansas fall turkey hunting permit, three counts of failure to tag a wild turkey, and three counts of exceeding the daily bag and possession limit on wild turkeys.
In a plea bargain agreement reached Feb. 11, Roszell pleaded guilty to three counts of hunting or taking a wild turkey without a valid Kansas turkey hunting permit. The remaining six charges were dismissed. Roszell paid a $600 fine and $800 restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. His hunting privileges were suspended for three years and a Remington shotgun was forfeited to the Iowa DNR. His hunting privileges will be suspended in 31 other states that are members of the wildlife violator compact