Three Sanders County residents were recently charged with multiple fish and game violations, including hunting game during a closed season and unlawfully using artificial light to kill game animals, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Deputy County Attorney Amy Kenison filed 36 charges for violations based on FWP Warden Tom Chianelli’s investigation into a string of poaching that occurred in March and April of 2012 in the Thompson Falls area.
Bryant Eaton of Trout Creek faces 18 fish and game charges including five charges of taking game animals during a closed season, five charges of unlawfully using artificial light to take game animals and five charges of possessing and transporting unlawfully killed game animals. Eaton also faces two counts of waste of a game animal and one count of unlawfully obtaining a license when his privileges were suspended.
Court records show Eaton’s hunting privileges are currently suspended for a previous fish and game violation. Eaton has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to appear before Sanders County Justice of the Peace Don Strine at a later date.
Stuart Mitchell of Thompson Falls was also charged with 13 counts of similar violations, including five counts of possessing and transporting unlawfully killed game animals, three counts of unlawfully using artificial light to take game animals, three counts of taking game animals during a closed season and two counts of waste of a game animal.
Mitchell entered a guilty plea to all 13 charges and has been ordered to pay over $6,000 in fines and restitution and received a lifetime suspension of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges. Mitchell was also ordered to serve a day in jail for each of the 13 charges.
Teresa Schimmel of Thompson Falls was charged with four counts of possessing unlawfully killed game animals and for the unlawful sale of game animals. Schimmel also entered a guilty plea to five charges and was ordered to pay $1,925 in fines and received a lifetime suspension of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges. Schimmel was ordered to serve a day in jail for each of the five charges.