S
SCREENMANNM
Guest
GRANTS - On the eve of his criminal trial, Kurt Darner entered guilty pleas in two of the primary counts of a multi-count indictment against him. The charges resulted from alleged illegal activities involved in the operation of his game ranch on Lobo Canyon Road, as well as events which had transpired in his former hometown of Montrose, Colo. Deputy District Attorney Randy Collins explained the background of some the charges against Darner.
New Mexico Game and Fish Department officers discovered the heads of two Mountain Sheep, including one endangered Desert Bighorn Sheep, in Darner's vehicle during the course of a search of his property following the issuance of a search warrant.
The trophy heads, which were the legal property of Colorado Division of Wildlife and intended for educational use, were traced to a taxidermy shop in Montrose, where Darner used to live. The heads had been stolen from the shop and the crime reported locally.
The discovery of the sheep heads in Darner's vehicle led to a felony charge of possession of stolen property, to which he entered a guilty plea yesterday in Judge Camille Olguin's courtroom in the 13 Judicial District.
Another felony count of transportation of stolen livestock was included in his guilty plea.
According to Collins, Darner had used a federal grant intended to support wildlife to plant alfalfa on his Lobo Canyon property. He then used state funds to erect a $7,000 fence around the field. When trophy elk came to feed on the alfalfa, Darner herded them onto his game ranch property.
Collins pointed out that Darner originally had three bull elk on his land and later bought three more, but only reported the presence of four elk to the state. Because there were no female elk on the property, Darner couldn't explain the presence of the additional animals.
Collins explained that he then drove four of the animals to another game park, which had purchased them from Darner. When his vehicle was stopped, Darner did not have invoices or identification for two of the animals to show the officers.
The defendant faces a $10,000 fine, a maximum four and a half year prison sentence, a prohibition on owning firearms, a prohibition on hunting or outfitting and a possible additional restitution fine of $10,000.
Darner's wife and co-defendant did not enter a plea at yesterday's hearing, so her case continues.
?We won't allow these crimes in Cibola County,? Collins said. He cited the earlier case of outfitter Adrian Romero, who was convicted on charges of fraud, forgery, embezzlement, racketeering and tax evasion and is now serving a ten-year prison sentence.
Darner will be sentenced within two months.
New Mexico Game and Fish Department officers discovered the heads of two Mountain Sheep, including one endangered Desert Bighorn Sheep, in Darner's vehicle during the course of a search of his property following the issuance of a search warrant.
The trophy heads, which were the legal property of Colorado Division of Wildlife and intended for educational use, were traced to a taxidermy shop in Montrose, where Darner used to live. The heads had been stolen from the shop and the crime reported locally.
The discovery of the sheep heads in Darner's vehicle led to a felony charge of possession of stolen property, to which he entered a guilty plea yesterday in Judge Camille Olguin's courtroom in the 13 Judicial District.
Another felony count of transportation of stolen livestock was included in his guilty plea.
According to Collins, Darner had used a federal grant intended to support wildlife to plant alfalfa on his Lobo Canyon property. He then used state funds to erect a $7,000 fence around the field. When trophy elk came to feed on the alfalfa, Darner herded them onto his game ranch property.
Collins pointed out that Darner originally had three bull elk on his land and later bought three more, but only reported the presence of four elk to the state. Because there were no female elk on the property, Darner couldn't explain the presence of the additional animals.
Collins explained that he then drove four of the animals to another game park, which had purchased them from Darner. When his vehicle was stopped, Darner did not have invoices or identification for two of the animals to show the officers.
The defendant faces a $10,000 fine, a maximum four and a half year prison sentence, a prohibition on owning firearms, a prohibition on hunting or outfitting and a possible additional restitution fine of $10,000.
Darner's wife and co-defendant did not enter a plea at yesterday's hearing, so her case continues.
?We won't allow these crimes in Cibola County,? Collins said. He cited the earlier case of outfitter Adrian Romero, who was convicted on charges of fraud, forgery, embezzlement, racketeering and tax evasion and is now serving a ten-year prison sentence.
Darner will be sentenced within two months.
..I've heard a few inside stories about him too..They are still great hunters, but criminals as well..
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