A several-year investigation into a poaching ring that included the theft and illegal selling of venison intended for customers, led to the arrest and subsequent convictions of 14 people – including one from Pennsylvania.
Much of the incident revolves around A&E Processing of Gallia County. The shop is owned operated by five of the convicted individuals.
The charges were brought in Gallia, Fairfield, Jackson, and Perry counties, with the majority of those being conducted in Gallia County, said Meredith Gilbert, spokeswoman and Publications Editor for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
In all, the defendants were charged with 122 counts of both felonies and misdemeanors. The defendants paid a combined $70,013.14 in fines and restitution. Likewise, the group collectively received a combined hunting license revocation totaling 63 years and paid more than $6,700 in court costs.
Gilbert told “Ohio Outdoor News” that the investigation began in 2017 after the agency received information that A&E Deer Processing was stealing meat from customers and selling it. Additional information was also received “that A&E was taking and processing deer without the proper documentation indicating the deer had been harvested legally,” Gilbert said.
The investigation culminated in February 2020 with the execution of five search warrants in Gallia County by agents with the Wildlife Division. Additional search warrants were conducted in neighboring Pennsylvania by officers with that states Game Commission.
Officers also conducted 22 interviews in Ohio and three in Pennsylvania in order to “verify the alleged violations,” the Wildlife Division said in a press release.
Specifically, the investigation revealed that the owners and operators of the deer processing business falsely game-checked deer, created false deer harvest records, falsified deer tags, exceeded deer hunting limits, and stole venison from customers who brought in animals for processing.
Falsified records allowed the deer processors to take and have in their possession more deer than they were lawfully allowed, the Wildlife Division said in its prepared remarks
Stolen venison subsequently was stockpiled and laundered into summer sausage that was then sold for profit, the Wildlife Division said.
“Over the course of two hunting seasons, investigators documented more than 2,000 pounds of venison that were either stolen from their 280 customers or (else) taken by unlawful means such as jack-lighting, taking deer out of season, and falsifying records,” the Wildlife Division said in its statement.
Also, during the execution of the search warrants, more than 1,000 items were seized. Among the seizures were venison and venison processing equipment, deer harvest records, deer mounts and antlers, and hunting implements.
All of the evidence seized during the execution of the search warrants was ultimately forfeited to the Wildlife Division.
“I am proud of the incredible work by our officers and investigators to gather information and see these cases to completion in the legal process,” Kendra Wecker, chief of the Wildlife Division, told “Ohio Outdoor News.”
“Cases like these take a tremendous amount of time and dedication but are paramount in the protection of Ohio’s wildlife resources. Thanks must also be given to the citizens who spoke up about the illegal activities which allowed us to start this investigation,” Wecker said
Here is list of the defendants, their charges, and fines and as provided by the Ohio Division of Wildlife (County names added by “Ohio Outdoor News”)::
Aaron L. Jones, 33, of Thurman (Gallia County): attempted engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F3), wildlife sales (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), and jacklighting (M3). A. Jones was sentenced and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine, $13,000 restitution, four hundred hours community service, four years community control, and received an eight-year hunting license suspension.
Randy L. Jones Jr. 65, of Thurman: complicity to telecommunications fraud (F4), complicity to theft (F5), complicity to wildlife sales (F5), two counts possess untagged deer parts (M3), possess untagged turkey parts (M4), over bag limits of antlered deer (M3). R. Jones was sentenced and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $5,000 restitution, two hundred hours community service, three years community control, and received an eight-year hunting license suspension.
Charlotte F. Jones, 64, of Thurman: provide false data when game checking a deer (M3). C. Jones was sentenced and ordered to pay a $1,000 restitution, $471.75 court costs, and received a three-year hunting license suspension.
Brittney E. Marcum, 32, of Thurman: falsification (F5), complicity to wildlife sales (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), two counts of possession of untagged deer meat (M3). B. Marcum was sentenced and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $5,500 restitution, and $687.05 court costs, and received a five-year hunting license suspension.
James E. Copley, 59, of Thurman: attempted engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F3), petty theft (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), aiding a wildlife offender: accepting deer without a game check (M3), hunting deer with an illegal hunting implement (M3). Copley was sentenced and received a $1,500 fine (suspended), ordered to pay $8,723.14 restitution, $2,701 court costs, and received a six-year hunting license suspension.
Linda Copley, 69, of Thurman: two counts aiding a wildlife offender/providing false data when game checking a deer (M3). L. Copley was sentenced and ordered to pay a $4,500 fine, $173 court costs, and received a three-year hunting license suspension.
Justin M. Wells, 37, of Thurman: (2) countsfailure to game check a deer (M3), over bag limit of deer taken in a season (M3), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged turkey parts (M4), jacklighting (M3). Wells was sentenced and ordered to pay a $550 fine, $2,000 restitution, $329.45 court costs, and received a six-year hunting license suspension.
William C. Gilbert, 28, of Thurman: tampering with records (F3), grand theft (F4), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), jacklighting (M3), two counts hunting deer with an illegal hunting implement (M3), failure to game check a deer (M3), jacklighting (M3), failure to game check a deer (M3). Gilbert was sentenced and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, $20,000 restitution, $353.95 court costs, and his hunting license was suspended for nine years.
Justin F. Butterfield, 24, of Brice (Franklin County): theft (F5), failure to game check a deer (M3), possess deer in violation of ORC (M3). Butterfield was sentenced and ordered to pay a $500 fine, $1,500 restitution, $655 court costs, and received a three-year hunting license suspension.
James Jones, 50, of Thurman: check deer of another (M3). J. Jones was sentenced and ordered to pay a $500 fine, $251 court costs, and received a three-year hunting license suspension.
Sharon Jones, 45, of Thurman: check deer of another (M3). S. Jones was sentenced and ordered to pay a $500 fine, $251 court costs, and received a three-year hunting license suspension.
Evan A. Jones, 71, of Oak Hill (Jackson County): two counts over bag limits antlered deer (M3), providing false information when game checking deer (M3), possess untagged deer parts (M3). E. Jones was sentenced and ordered to pay $1,500 restitution, $307 court costs, and received a six-year hunting license suspension.
Dale L. Scarberry, 57, of Thurman: attempted theft (M1), Scarberry was sentenced and ordered to pay a $250 fine, $220 court costs.
Ronald Miller, 37, Tyrone Pennsylvania (Blair County), transport deer, feeding deer, fail to game check deer (M3), fail to game check/illegal transportation (M3), possess deer taken unlawfully (M3). Miller was sentenced and ordered to pay a $490 fine, $352.50 court costs.
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