This should help you out Younghunter. This is the FWOA press release. It should be noted that Hatch is now off his 5 year probation. Other interesting names on that list.
OPERATION NAVAJO BUCK
The U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have announced the sentencing of 11 individuals for violating federal wildlife laws stemming from an investigation dubbed "Operation Navajo Buck." The 11 paid a total of $84,000 in fines, restitution and penalties, along with one aircraft forfeited to the court.
The investigation which began in 1998, focused on several big game guides based in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, who were suspected of unlawfully using aircraft prior to and during hunting seasons to locate deer and elk for hunting clients in northern Arizona. The investigation also focused on illegal guiding and hunting on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation with assistance from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Navajo Department of Wildlife. The prosecution was handled by Assistant Paul V. Rood and Camille Bibles of the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
The following individuals were convicted of federal criminal violations for unlawful hunting on the Navajo Indian Reservation and sentenced as follows:
Daniel Smith, Jr., San Jose, CA, was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $25,000 restitution to the Navajo Fish and Wildlife Department. In a related civil action, a 1998 Buckeye powered parachute valued at approximately $10,000 was forfeited to the government.
Steven Stayner, Mesa, AZ, was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. A Federal civil action seeking the forfeiture of a powered parachute aircraft owned by Stayner is currently being litigated for alleged violations of the Airborne Hunting Act.
Kenneth Clint Heiber, Red Bluff, CA, was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $25,000 restitution to the Navajo Department of Wildlife. In addition Heiber was ordered to abandon a trophy mule deer killed on the Navajo Indian Reservation in December 1997, and subsequently seized by Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in March of 2000.
Joseph Aggi, Red Bluff, CA, was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and ordered not to hunt for a period of two years.
Samuel S. Jaksick, Jr., Reno, NV, was ordered to pay a $4,500 fine and $7,500 restitution to the Navajo Department of Wildlife.
Julius Fontuna, Phoenix, AZ, was ordered to pay a fine of $2,500.
A. Paul Stewart, Phoenix, AZ, was ordered to pay a fine of $2,500. A federal civil action seeking forfeiture of a powered parachute aircraft owned by Stewart for alleged violations of the Airborne Hunting Act, is currently being litigated.
Mule deer videographer Ryan S. Hatch, Kanab, UT, was convicted of a criminal violation of the Lacey Act related to the taking of a mule deer on the Navajo Indian Reservation in 1997. Hatch was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Hatch's conditions of probation require that he be in full compliance with state, federal, and tribal regulations when conducting hunting related activities including scouting for game or video taping.
The following individuals paid Federal Violation Notices for unlawful hunting on the Navajo Indian Reservation as follows:
Daniel Smith, III, San Jos?, CA - $5,000
Larry Nicolds, Garland, UT - $5,000
Mark LeFeyre, Tropic, UT
The investigation that led to the convictions was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Division of Law Enforcement, with SA Kevin Ellis as the case agent. He received assistance from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Navajo Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numerous agents from several regions and state officers helped with surveillance, undercover work, search warrant preparation and execution, interviews, trial preparation, and property inventories. SA Ellis was presented with a plaque for "Appreciation of his wildlife conservation efforts in Arizona" given to him from the FWS agents stationed in Arizona before his departure to Colorado.