CASPER - Dennis Ray Diesel of Steelville, Mo., formerly of Clark, Wyo., pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of violating the federal Lacey Act in U.S. District Court in Casper April 17. The case was brought before U.S. Magistrate Judge R. Michael Shickich.

The case involved taking buck mule deer in a closed area, the interstate transportation of illegal deer and bighorn sheep, and aiding and abetting in the transportation during October of 2003.

A joint investigation between the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office resulted in fines and special assessments of $1,625 and restitution of $16,000, forfeiture of four buck mule deer mounts and a bighorn sheep mount for four Missouri men.

The investigation began with a complaint of trespassing and deer hunting in a closed area, which was reported to now retired Powell Game Warden Mac Black. Additional information submitted to Wildlife Investigator Lin Bashford, led to the discovery of a bighorn sheep, approximately 5 years old and probably killed in area 1 west of Clark, being illegally received and transported to Missouri by Diesel. After living in retirement in the Clark area about 2 years, Diesel, 61, moved back to Missouri immediately after deer hunting in October 2003.

Evidence and additional valuable information was obtained in Missouri by USFWS Special Agent Dan Burleson of St. Peters and Missouri Department of Conservation officers Tim Tallent of Sullivan and Rob Brandeburg of Steelville.

"These officers did a great job of interviewing the suspects and gathering evidence which helped wrap-up the investigation and nail down the convictions," Bashford said.

Diesel was ordered to pay $4,800 in fines, restitution and special assessments, forfeit the illegally taken deer and bighorn sheep and be on unsupervised probation for five years. In addition, he cannot hunt or fish anywhere in the United States during his probation. Diesel had a court-appointed attorney and appeared in person in court.

On Aug. 15, 2005, Missouri residents Allen R. Diesel (Dennis Ray Diesel’s son) of St. Clair, James M. Pulver of Jackson and Charles D. Hawken of Eldon appeared in person in federal court in Casper and pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act. These misdemeanor charges stemmed from a deer hunt with Dennis Ray Diesel in a closed area in October 2003 near Clark.

Allen Diesel, 35, Pulver, 40, and Hawken, 42, each killed a mature mule deer buck and were each ordered to pay $4,275 in fines, restitution and assessments. Each defendant was placed on supervised probation for 6 months. After that time each man’s probation is terminated when his fines, restitution and assessments are paid in full. The probation could extend up to 3 years. They also each forfeited a mule deer mount.

Restitution from federal wildlife violations committed in Wyoming is donated to the Game and Fish Law Enforcement Fund.

Anyone with information about violations, even if it is second hand, is urged to contact the Stop Poaching Hotline at (800) 442-4331. Callers could be eligible for a cash reward if the information leads to a conviction and can remain anonymous.