Troy man admits to tampering with evidence in grizzly killing

A Troy man admitted in federal court Thursday to tampering with evidence in the 2020 fatal shooting of a grizzly on his property.

Othel Lee Pearson, 80, pleaded guilty to felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanor failure to report the taking of a grizzly bear before U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula on Feb. 15. 

Pearson shot and killed a sow grizzly bear on his property using a .270 rifle on Nov. 19, 2020, according to court documents. After cutting off the GPS collar and tossing it into the nearby Yaak River, Pearson allegedly removed the paws, ear tags and an identifying lip tattoo. 

Pearson hid the claws and ear tag in a hollowed-out tree on Kootenai National Forest land near his home, court documents said. He never reported the killing, court documents alleged. 

Investigators later found meat from the bear in a freezer in Pearson’s home, according to court documents.

Pearson’s guilty plea came after the 80-year-old struck a deal with prosecutors. In exchange, they will forgo prosecuting another person in connection with the grizzly’s death and Pearson will cooperate in an investigation into another grizzly skull found on National Forest land near his home. 

Prosecutors also will recommend that he receive three years of probation and pay an $8,000 fine at his June 6 sentencing. Pearson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release on the felony charge, and up to six months behind bars and a $25,000 fine on the misdemeanor count. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Tanner is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.