New York DEC Responds to Disappointing Punishment for Poachers

Last week, many residents were shocked to learn of an elaborate deer poaching scheme that had been uncovered by Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) in upstate New York. The shock quickly turned to outrage when it was revealed that the two men, who pleaded guilty to multiple charges, would face minimal punishment for their premeditated crime.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) described the men as members of a "network of poachers" who used fake social media accounts and even hid their arrows in hollow walking sticks to avoid suspicion in the suburban areas where they searched for large bucks to kill. So why did the men receive what has been described by many as a "slap on the wrist"?

Authorities say Kevin Zorda of Oneonta, NY posed online as a female wildlife photographer to elicit locations of urban bucks from local nature enthusiasts (NYS DEC)

"Elaborate" Poaching Network Uncovered in New York

Jayson Zorda and Kevin Butler pleaded guilty to illegally taking whitetail deer after they were caught bowhunting in the town of Tonawanda, NY. Though the pair initially denied hunting in the area, nearby trail camera footage, as well as photos the men took themselves and posted to social media, told a different story. It also led authorities to discover a bigger plan at work. From the NYSDEC:

A review of cell phone records uncovered a larger scheme where the subjects conspired with a network of poachers, using hunting and wildlife photography posts on social media to target large bucks in suburban and urban areas closed to hunting.

The NYS DEC say that Kevin Butler of Afton, NY was one of the hunters implicated in a widespread deer poaching network. He is seen here on a trail camera in Erie County, NY (NYS DEC)

Charges for Poachers in Erie County, NY

Authorities continued to explain that Zorda would use a fake Facebook profile to convince local wildlife photographers to reveal the location of the "urban bucks" with the specific intent of poaching. For their crimes, the pair paid "$1,075 in fines and surcharges, and had their hunting licenses revoked for five years". While many New Yorkers expressed gratitude at the investigation, the seemingly light punishment was almost universally rejected.

New Yorkers Respond to Charges Against Erie County Poachers

"Good job DEC. However the punishment should fit the crime. That was less than a slap on the wrist", responded one New Yorker. "Their illegal activity should be a felony and they should never be able to have a hunting license again, in any state and should be serving a minimum of 1 year jail time", lamented a local hunter who worried that the crime would only lead the pair "to be more careful next time". Thankfully, the NYSDEC has responded to a request for comment.

Two poachers pleaded guilty in Erie County, NY and received what many New York residents described as a "slap on the wrist" (Google)

NYSDEC Responds to Calls for Harsher Punishments

The NYSDEC said that while what officers discovered in their investigation was enough for a more severe punishment, the decision ultimately came from a different local authority. From the NYSDEC:

DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Investigators conducted a complete and thorough investigation resulting in sufficient evidence to charge each defendant with two misdemeanors and one violation under the State Environmental Conservation Law. Statutory penalties could have resulted in a maximum fine of $4,250 and /or up to two years and 15 days imprisonment for each defendant.

The NYSDEC continued by explaining that while the duo could have faced jail time, a plea agreement reached between the poachers and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office led to the final outcome. When reached for comment, the attorney's office shared a slightly different account:

Both defendants pleaded guilty, as charged, to one count of Violation of Fish and Wildlife Law... Our office did not offer a plea deal as both defendants pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge. The sentence is decided by the Court. In cases where a first time, low-level offender has no criminal history, it is not unusual for the Court to impose a fine in lieu of jail

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The NYSDEC shares that "other individuals were implicated in the [investigation] and charges are pending". There is currently no information regarding whether these other individuals will be charged similarly.