WY: Former Wyoming resident charged with poaching mule deer, swift fox near Casper

WY: Former Wyoming resident charged with poaching mule deer, swift fox near Casper

Former Wyoming resident charged with poaching mule deer, swift fox near Casper – Casper, WY Oil City News

06/01/2023

A 25-year-old former Wyoming resident is charged with poaching mule deer, antelope and a protected swift fox over four years ago near Casper.

The man, now a resident of Grand Junction, Colorado, pleaded not guilty to the eight misdemeanor counts Tuesday in Natrona County Circuit Court.

Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Arrache asked the court to set a $25,000 cash-only bond.

“This shows the willful disregard for Wyoming and our wildlife, which we take very seriously here,” Arrache said.

Judge Nichole Collier ultimately set bond at $10,000 cash or surety. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The defendant is charged with taking three buck mule deer and two buck antelope without a license. He is also charged with taking game after hunting hours and using artificial light.

The poachings are alleged to have taken place between October 2018 and September 2019.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department said the defendant has never held any kind of big game license.

Game and Fish said it was informed about the case by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which was investigating the defendant for wildlife crimes in that state, according to the affidavit.

Colorado authorities had seized the defendant’s phone and used forensic software to find multiple photos of the defendant posing with dead deer and antelope, the affidavit said.

The evidence was shared with Wyoming law enforcement. In one picture, the defendant is allegedly shown posing with his name written on his chest in a poached deer’s blood.

Metadata attached to the photos also revealed the locations in the BB Brooks area north of Casper. Investigators went to the coordinates and found the vegetation and topography matched that found in the photos, the affidavit said.

The defendant said he learned of the case while answering to similar charges in Fremont County. He said he drove 10 hours to turn himself in to Natrona County authorities.

He said he has changed since the alleged crimes, adding that he has sold all his guns and never plans to hunt again.

Game and Fish added that swift foxes are “classified as a species of greatest conservation need,” the affidavit said.

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