Two Craig Area Men Sentenced, Fined for Poaching in Montana
OutdoorHub 04.30.12
A pair of men from the Craig area facing 25 counts related to poaching and illegal outfitting agreed to a plea bargain recently and will pay $21,000 in total restitution and lose forever their privileges to hunt, fish and trap or accompany anyone else doing so.
Steve Bruyere, 52, pleaded guilty to eight misdemeanors: three counts of hunting with an artificial light, hunting from a public highway, trespass, hunting without a valid license, unlawful sale of a game animal, and violation of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission rules.
Bruyere agreed to pay $9,932.60 court costs and restitution for illegally killing a trophy mule deer buck, at least three other mule deer bucks, two bull elk and a black bear.
He was also fined $3,000 and sentenced to 12 months in the county jail. Both were suspended, however, as long as Bruyere pays the restitution.
John Lindow, 23, pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanors: two counts of hunting with an artificial light, two counts of trespass, hunting without hunter orange, unlawful possession of game animals and hunting from a public highway.
Lindow agreed to pay $11,157.60 court costs and restitution for illegally killing a trophy mule deer buck, two other mule deer bucks, two bull elk, two spike bull elk, a 5×5 whitetail buck, a 4×4 whitetail buck, and another whitetail buck.
Lindow was also fined $3,000 and sentenced to 18 months in the county jail. Both were suspended as long as Lindow pays the restitution.
Bruyere and Lindow were sentenced April 25 by Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Dorothy McCarter.
Bruyere and Lindow were arrested Feb. 10, 2011, after a three-year investigation initiated by FWP game warden Bryan Golie, of Cascade, and conducted by FWP investigators.
