Post by Woody Williams on Oct 7, 2006 13:39:30 GMT -5
Poacher Fined $31,000, Looses License For life
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casper, Wyoming – More than a dozen crimes against wildlife cost a Douglas man $31,230 in fines and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges for life. Richard L. Followell also faces nationwide extradition and three years in jail if he does not pay the fines.
The charges are the result of an investigation that began in 1996. During the spring of that year, Douglas Game Warden Rod Lebert received an anonymous tip about wildlife that had been poached in Converse and surrounding counties. Upon investigation, Lebert discovered eight different locations where deer and antelope had been killed and the antlers or horns removed. At one of the locations he also found an illegally killed bobcat and the remains of numerous other wildlife. Although leads in the case pointed to Followell, 45, circumstances prevented an apprehension at that time.
During the fall of 2004, Converse County issued an outstanding warrant for Followell on unrelated charges. When Converse County deputies and Game and Fish wardens apprehended the suspect, Lebert was able to charge him with two non-bondable counts of wanton destruction from the 1996 incidents. Wildlife crimes do not have a statute of limitations in Wyoming. Upon his arrest, Followell confessed to the other six poaching violations. Facing steep fines, he asked for and was granted permission to leave Wyoming to earn enough money to pay the fines. He was ordered to return to Douglas in spring of 2005 to face the remaining charges in the case....
You can read the rest of the article here, it's pretty long, but does have a picture of the poacher.
www.outdoors-411.com/news/hunting/061006-wyoming-life-poacher.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casper, Wyoming – More than a dozen crimes against wildlife cost a Douglas man $31,230 in fines and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges for life. Richard L. Followell also faces nationwide extradition and three years in jail if he does not pay the fines.
The charges are the result of an investigation that began in 1996. During the spring of that year, Douglas Game Warden Rod Lebert received an anonymous tip about wildlife that had been poached in Converse and surrounding counties. Upon investigation, Lebert discovered eight different locations where deer and antelope had been killed and the antlers or horns removed. At one of the locations he also found an illegally killed bobcat and the remains of numerous other wildlife. Although leads in the case pointed to Followell, 45, circumstances prevented an apprehension at that time.
During the fall of 2004, Converse County issued an outstanding warrant for Followell on unrelated charges. When Converse County deputies and Game and Fish wardens apprehended the suspect, Lebert was able to charge him with two non-bondable counts of wanton destruction from the 1996 incidents. Wildlife crimes do not have a statute of limitations in Wyoming. Upon his arrest, Followell confessed to the other six poaching violations. Facing steep fines, he asked for and was granted permission to leave Wyoming to earn enough money to pay the fines. He was ordered to return to Douglas in spring of 2005 to face the remaining charges in the case....
You can read the rest of the article here, it's pretty long, but does have a picture of the poacher.
www.outdoors-411.com/news/hunting/061006-wyoming-life-poacher.html
