A poacher in Ohio who unlawfully took a valuable 18-point buck faces record-breaking fines, jail term, and a 10-year hunting ban.#Columbus, Ohio, #News, #Crime
COLUMBUS, OHA — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife has sentenced a man to pay record-breaking fines for unlawfully poaching an 18-point white-tailed deer and another antlered buck during the 2023 hunting season. The 28-year-old Christopher J. Alexander entered a guilty plea to several offenses related to his unlawful actions.
Charges and Sentencing Details
Alexander was charged with 14 offenses, including two felonies: tampering with evidence and stealing by fraud. Two counts of unlawfully capturing or possessing deer, hunting without a license or authorization, selling illegally obtained or possessed deer antlers, spotlighting, and four counts of hunting without permission, falsification, and theft were among the misdemeanor accusations.
He received a 180-day jail term with 90 days suspended. Before being eligible for work release, he will spend the final ninety days at the Star Community Justice Center. Alexander will be subject to community control for five years after his release. If he breaks the community control rules, he will be subject to a three-year suspended prison sentence.
Record-Setting Restitution and Additional Penalties
According to the ODNR, Alexander was forced to pay $35,071.73 in restitution for the 18-point trophy buck, which is the highest amount ever given for a single white-tailed deer in Ohio history. In addition, he has to pay $4,625 in restitution for the second buck that was unlawfully seized, making the total amount of restitution $39,696.73.
Alexander’s hunting license was also suspended for ten years. The trophy deer’s antlers and other items confiscated during the investigation were forfeited. In addition, he was mandated to pay $2,000 in restitution to media outlets, $1,000 to the Turn In a Poacher (TIP) program, $1,000 in fines, and court expenses.
Accomplices and Broader Impact
Three of the case’s conspirators, Zachary R. Haunert, 31, Kristina M. Alexander, 37, and Corey P. Haunert, 29, had already received sentences. They entered guilty pleas to counts of falsification and unauthorized hunting. The penalties ranged from $500 to $1,000 in fines and up to 90 days of suspended prison time.
Those who participate in unlawful hunting activities are cautioned by these punishments. In order to preserve Ohio’s wildlife resources for future generations, the Division of Wildlife of the ODNR stressed the significance of these enforcement actions.
RELATED TOPICS: Ohio Crime
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