|
Contact: Dave Fox, 435.834.4810
Hunter Receives Conviction in Bryce Canyon Poaching Incident Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah - In October 2006, a deer was illegally shot and killed alongside Utah-12 within the boundary of Bryce Canyon National Park. An off-duty park employee notified rangers, while Garfield County Sheriff's Office simultaneously received a 911 call and dispatched Park Ranger Scott Engelhardt to the scene. Engelhardt located a vehicle matching the description and made contact with its three occupants, including Jeremy Hancock of Ogden, Utah. During the investigation, Engelhardt was able to obtain a confession from Hancock that he shot and partially gutted the deer before loading it into the back of his friend’s truck and driving off. Engelhardt seized the deer and rifle. Last month, Hancock pled guilty to a violation of the Lacey Act in federal court. The Lacey Act was first introduced by Iowa Congressman John Lacey, and signed into law by President William McKinley on May 25, 1900. The Lacey Act protects both plants and wildlife by creating civil and criminal penalties for a wide array of violations, including taking, possessing, transporting, or selling wildlife that has been taken in violation of federal, state and foreign law. The Lacey Act is administered by the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture. Hancock was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, and ordered to pay a $500 fine and $2,000 in restitution to Bryce Canyon National Park. In addition, he is banned from entering Bryce Canyon for a period of one year. |
Last updated: February 24, 2015