Prolific poachers fined, sentenced

The fourth and final defendant in a Whitefish-area deer poaching case has pleaded guilty to multiple charges and been sentenced in Flathead County Justice Court.

Columbia Falls resident Dillon Erickson, 19, was convicted of four counts of hunting during a closed season, four counts of waste of a big game animal and four counts of unlawful possession or transportation of game.

He lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for five years, was fined $4,820 and must pay $2,000 in restitution to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He also was sentenced to six months in jail but the sentence was suspended.

Erickson was the last of four Columbia Falls men to plead guilty in a case that involved the illegal killing of more than 20 deer in the Whitefish area in 2012. Erickson originally faced 48 criminal charges.

“Wardens weren’t able to prove these individuals were responsible for all of the deer poached in that area, but we have seen a dramatic decrease in illegal activity since making the case,” said Warden Captain Lee Anderson, who commended Wardens Chris Crane, Wes Oedekovan and investigator Brian Sommers for the countless hours they put into the case.

Anderson said their dedication along with help from the public and a hard-working county attorney’s office made the prosecution possible.

Previously convicted in the case were Columbia Falls residents Paul West, 19, Tyler Kellar, 19, and Chase Wilson, 20.

West initially was charged with nine misdemeanor counts. He pleaded guilty to five and was ordered to pay $2,175 in fines. His hunting, fishing and trapping privileges in Montana were taken away for two years.

Kellar pleaded guilty to four of his 24 initial charges on Feb. 25. He was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges in Montana for four years.

Wilson pleaded guilty to seven of his 43 initial charges on Feb. 20. He was ordered to pay a total of $3,440 in fines and $2,000 in restitution to Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Wilson was also sentenced to six months in jail, all suspended, and his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges in Montana were taken away for 40 years.

Combined, the four defendants had fines and restitution charges of $16,435 and lost their privileges to hunt, trap or fish for 51 years, according to a news release from Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Montana is a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, so the four young men also lose their privileges in 43 other states across the country.