News From District Four

BURLINGTON - Two southeast Iowa men were charged Monday for alleged illegal turtle trapping activity after a concerned citizen called the Turn In Poachers hotline.

Using information from the TIP call, conservation officers staked out the traps on July 9, and watched the individuals run nine illegally set turtle traps in the Tama Bottoms, north of Burlington.

Mike Kerr, 36, of Mount Pleasant, and Jack Schafer, 38, of Fairfield, were each charged with four counts of illegal method of take of turtle, four counts of failure to have a commercial gear tags attached to the net and one count of illegal taking/possessing of a turtle. The fines totaled $2,299. Conservation officers seized nine traps.

Kerr and Schafer are scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 12.



Marengo Men Plead Guilty to Fishing Violations

MARENGO — Ronald G. Von Lienen, 67, from Marengo, pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful commercialization of wildlife, thirteen counts of unlawful sale of fish, six counts of unlawful transportation of fish for sale, and one count of being over the possession limit of catfish. As a result, Von Lienen will pay $4,040.76 in fines, surcharges, and court costs. In addition, Von Lienen was ordered to pay $1,260 in civil damages to the Department of Natural Resources and had his fishing license suspended for three years.

DNR Officers served a search warrant at Von Lienen’s residence on September 28, 2007, and seized 135 catfish (270 catfish fillets). DNR Officers also seized records from businesses in Millersburg and Williamsburg where Von Lienen had been selling catfish. Records indicated that Von Lienen had been selling catfish fillets since September 2005.

Von Lienen routinely fished at Coralville Lake; it is illegal to sell catfish taken from inland rivers and lakes. The possession limit for catfish is 30.

DNR Officers also seized 77 catfish (154 catfish fillets) from Wayne K. Lienen, 66, from Marengo (Ronald Von Lienen’s brother). Lienen pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transportation of catfish and one count of being over the possession limit of catfish. Lienen was also ordered to pay $255 in civil damages to the Department of Natural Resources. Lienen will pay $172.60 in fines, surcharges, and court costs.

For more information, contact DNR Conservation Officer Brad Baker at 319-430-1630.



Oklahoma Deer Poachers Caught in Louisa County

MUSCATINE - Two Oklahoma men pleaded guilty Tuesday, November 13 to illegally taking and possessing an antlered deer in Muscatine County and paid more than $4,500 in fines and civil penalties.

Timothy Chad Nolan, 38, of Sallisaw, Okla., was charged with illegally taking and having possession of an antlered buck deer in Sweetland Township and for hunting deer without a valid nonresident deer hunting license. Brent R. Webb, 37, of Roland, Okla., was charged with hunting deer without a valid nonresident deer hunting license.

The charges were filed following a lengthy investigation by conservation officers from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Nolan and Webb were both issued nonresident antlerless deer licenses. Nolan’s antlerless license was issued for and valid only in Louisa County while Webb’s antlerless license was issued for Muscatine County.

Nolan and Webb were bowhunting in Montpelier Township in Muscatine County on Saturday morning, when Webb attempted to take an antlered buck, which lead to his charge of hunting deer without a valid license. Nolan was charged for hunting deer in Muscatine County with a license valid only for Louisa County.

On Monday, Nolan killed an antlered buck deer while hunting in Sweetland Township with his Louisa County antlerless deer license. On Tuesday, Iowa conservation officers stopped the two men in Fredonia in Louisa County while they were en route to Oklahoma. Officers seized an 8-point antlered buck deer and more than $2,500 worth of bowhunting equipment.

Later Tuesday, Nolan and Webb appeared in Muscatine County Associate District Court and pleaded guilty to the charges. Webb paid a fine of $182, while Nolan paid fines of $364 plus a $4,000 civil penalty for the deer.

The DNR has initiated condemnation proceedings against the two men for their seized property. The Muscatine Police Department and Columbus Junction Police Department assisted with the investigation.



Two Letts Men Face Charges Following Alleged Hunting Incident

Letts - Two Letts men face firearms and illegal hunting charges after being arrested in Muscatine County on Saturday September 29, 2007.

Anthony R. Boyce, 35, and Kenneth J. Sargeant, age 27, were arrested by two Conservation Officers from the Iowa DNR after officials received a complaint of a dead deer in a rural area south of Muscatine on Saturday.

Subsequent investigation by Conservation Officers resulted in the charges and arrest of the two men. Both men face felony charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon as well as misdemeanor charges for no valid hunting license and no wildlife habitat fee.

Conservation Officers seized two scoped .22 rifles from the two men, two boxes of ammunition, several knives, and various other hunting related items. Officers recovered the heads of two dead buck deer from the area. Both men are currently being held in the Muscatine County Jail.

In addition to these charges, Boyce is also being held on a felony arrest warrant in Muscatine County and a misdemeanor arrest warrant in Louisa County for other charges unrelated to Saturday's incident. The Muscatine County Sheriff's Office assisted in the investigation.

DNR Officials stress that the charges are merely accusations and both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.

For more information, contact Kevin Baskins at 515/249-2814.