S
sneak
Guest
Just read this in a Colorado newspaper and my blood is boiling (excerpt at the bottom). Anyone who cares about our wildlife resource needs to send a letter to the CDOW and this judge and tell them to take poaching seriously and stop plea bargaining charges down to nothing.
This guy deliberately smoked a locally-well-known monster mule deer with double drop-tines like you've rarely seen--he did it on Thanksgiving Day when he knew the rigs were shut down and local ranchers were home with their families. He even admitted doing it. Then the DA and the judge basically let him off all but one hook, and now they're using language that indicates they'll even go light on the sentencing as well. UNBELIEVABLE! We may as well post up a banner welcoming poachers to Colorado and tell them to have at it--we don't care.
The most aggravating part is that the DOW'S spin on this is that they are happy with the outcome!! How can anyone be happy about losing a trophy mule from the gene pool to an illegal poacher who got all but one charge dropped and who may never do a day of jail time or pay more than $1000 for the offense? They even dropped the Samson Law charge, which was specifically designed for this very scenario. Why have laws at all if the courts won't even uphold them?
DOES THIS PISS ANYONE ELSE OFF?!?
February 2, 2007
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. ? A drill rig worker pleaded guilty Thursday in 9th District Court to a felony charge for poaching a trophy deer last Thanksgiving. Joseph Chapman, of Provo, Utah, accepted a plea bargain - a plea of guilty in exchange for a reduced charge - from the District Attorney's office that decreased the severity of the charge to a class six felony, willful destruction of wildlife.
His attorney, public defender Garth McCarty, said the agreement with the DA would also mean a sentence of probation for Chapman "and no further jail time."
The amended charge carries a sentencing range of one year to 18 months in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $100,000.
Also as part of the plea bargain, a "Samson" surcharge or additional fine of $10,000 for killing a trophy big game animal was dropped. Samson was a trophy elk that was illegally killed in the Estes Park area in 1996.
After accepting Chapman's plea, Judge Denise Lynch said, "The court is not bound by this (agreement)," and questioned Chapman closely to determine whether he understood the agreement was not binding.
Chapman was originally charged with hunting out of season, illegal possession of wildlife and transportation and exportation of wildlife, all misdemeanors. Those charges were dropped.
According to an arrest affidavit filed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) officer J.T. Romatzke, he received a tip that Chapman had shot a buck frequently seen near the rig he was working on seven miles north of Parachute on Garfield County Road 215.
"With the felony charge we have the ability to hold a hearing and determine what period of time Mr. Chapman's hunting license will be suspended," said DOW spokesman Randy Hampton. "It could run for one year or it could be for the rest of his life and apply in 24 other states."
The felony charge mandates 20 points on Chapman's hunting license "which triggers the administrative hearing process," Hampton said.
DOW was pleased with the plea bargain, he said.
"We were very much in the loop with the DA's office" while the agreement was being forged. Although the Samson fine was dropped, "in reality he pled to something where the fine (could be) more than that," Hampton said. "Our goal was to make sure to get the felony, which would make sure Mr. Chapman won't be hunting for a while."
This guy deliberately smoked a locally-well-known monster mule deer with double drop-tines like you've rarely seen--he did it on Thanksgiving Day when he knew the rigs were shut down and local ranchers were home with their families. He even admitted doing it. Then the DA and the judge basically let him off all but one hook, and now they're using language that indicates they'll even go light on the sentencing as well. UNBELIEVABLE! We may as well post up a banner welcoming poachers to Colorado and tell them to have at it--we don't care.
The most aggravating part is that the DOW'S spin on this is that they are happy with the outcome!! How can anyone be happy about losing a trophy mule from the gene pool to an illegal poacher who got all but one charge dropped and who may never do a day of jail time or pay more than $1000 for the offense? They even dropped the Samson Law charge, which was specifically designed for this very scenario. Why have laws at all if the courts won't even uphold them?
DOES THIS PISS ANYONE ELSE OFF?!?
February 2, 2007
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. ? A drill rig worker pleaded guilty Thursday in 9th District Court to a felony charge for poaching a trophy deer last Thanksgiving. Joseph Chapman, of Provo, Utah, accepted a plea bargain - a plea of guilty in exchange for a reduced charge - from the District Attorney's office that decreased the severity of the charge to a class six felony, willful destruction of wildlife.
His attorney, public defender Garth McCarty, said the agreement with the DA would also mean a sentence of probation for Chapman "and no further jail time."
The amended charge carries a sentencing range of one year to 18 months in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $100,000.
Also as part of the plea bargain, a "Samson" surcharge or additional fine of $10,000 for killing a trophy big game animal was dropped. Samson was a trophy elk that was illegally killed in the Estes Park area in 1996.
After accepting Chapman's plea, Judge Denise Lynch said, "The court is not bound by this (agreement)," and questioned Chapman closely to determine whether he understood the agreement was not binding.
Chapman was originally charged with hunting out of season, illegal possession of wildlife and transportation and exportation of wildlife, all misdemeanors. Those charges were dropped.
According to an arrest affidavit filed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) officer J.T. Romatzke, he received a tip that Chapman had shot a buck frequently seen near the rig he was working on seven miles north of Parachute on Garfield County Road 215.
"With the felony charge we have the ability to hold a hearing and determine what period of time Mr. Chapman's hunting license will be suspended," said DOW spokesman Randy Hampton. "It could run for one year or it could be for the rest of his life and apply in 24 other states."
The felony charge mandates 20 points on Chapman's hunting license "which triggers the administrative hearing process," Hampton said.
DOW was pleased with the plea bargain, he said.
"We were very much in the loop with the DA's office" while the agreement was being forged. Although the Samson fine was dropped, "in reality he pled to something where the fine (could be) more than that," Hampton said. "Our goal was to make sure to get the felony, which would make sure Mr. Chapman won't be hunting for a while."
