Colorado poaching: Sampson Law violations Wetmore, CO (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 County: Custer Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Abusers/Suspects: » Michael O'Neal » Steven Cochran » William Landrum » Christopher Sean Tallant » Kurt Oliver Leach

Case ID: 6640 Classification: Unlawful Trapping/Hunting Animal: bird (wildlife) View more cases in CO (US) Login to Watch this Case

On Dec. 9, 2005, Michael O'Neal, 41, of Red Creek Ranch, a subdivision near Wetmore, appeared before district court judge Julie Marshall in Canon City.

At that time, O�Neal pled guilty to three counts of unlawful possession of wildlife and was ordered to pay $27,287 in fines and fees. The fines included a game penalty of $20,000 assessed under the Sampson Act.

The Sampson Law violations--$10,000 each--applied because two of the deer recovered during the investigation had an antler spread of at least 20 inches across on the inside.
The dollars received from the Sampson Act penalty will go into the Custer County sheriff�s office coffers.

O�Neal is required to pay the fines in monthly installments totaling $445. In addition, O�Neal received a suspended three-year prison sentence. According to Division of Wildlife spokesman Michael Seraphin, if O�Neal misses a monthly installment, he will serve the entire prison sentence.

O�Neal also faces suspension of his hunting privileges ranging from one year to life, said Seraphin.

An investigation regarding the poaching incident began in October 2003 after DOW officers received a tip that a number of deer carcasses were seen in the Wetmore area.

Last year or earlier this year, Steven Cochran, 45, formerly of Rockvale, now of Cotopaxi; William Landrum, 48, and Christopher Tallant, 39, both of Penrose; and Troy Evans, 38, of Pueblo, were either found guilty or reached a plea agreement for their involvement in the case.

A sixth person charged, Kurt Leach, 38, of Pueblo West, died in a car accident. Seraphin noted Landrum fled after he was sentenced to pay over $14,000 in fines.

�We will continue to actively try to locate him,� said Seraphin, who added persons with information regarding his whereabouts should contact local law enforcement officials.

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References

Wet Mountain Tribune - December 15, 2005

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