Poaching ring busted, MP man one of three arrested in multi-state sting

Northeast Texas game wardens recently arrested three men, including a Mount Pleasant man, following a threeyear investigation into a deer poaching ring that spanned four states including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Iowa. Officially called the unlawful take of a wildlife resource while hunting, poaching is a serious issue in Texas, with thousands of deer killed each year outside of the normal seasons and legal parameters.

Game Warden Captain Shawn Hervey told the Tribune on Tuesday that federal charges could be filed in the case due to the fact that anytime you cross state lines it becomes a federal charge and is referred to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Department.

Those arrested so far by law enforcement in relation to the poaching include Carson Don Bottoms, 21, of Longview, Drake Anthony Cannon, 24, of Mount Pleasant, and Reagan Beavan Farquharson, 18, of Heath. “I’ve seen a lot of wildlife crime in my 23 years, but they just took it to the extreme,” Hervey said. Hervey said the crime involved the suspects driving around and shooting deer at night all year. It also involved trespassing. He said it is believed more than 100 deer have been killed illegally over the past three years.

The deer were allegedly taken to Cannon, who would process them, Hervey said.

State jail felonies for violation of fish and wildlife laws in Texas can included fines ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 and/or up to two years in jail, plus the forfeiture of all hunting gear and firearms used to commit the violation and the automatic suspension or revocation of licenses for up to five years.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has a special program for the general public to help them curtail illegal poaching. Operation Game Thief is Texas’ Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program, offering rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the conviction of a wildlife crime. Begun in 1981 as a result of laws passed by the 67th Legislature to help curtail poaching, the program, a function of the Law Enforcement division of The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is highly successful, having been responsible for the payment of over $195,000 in rewards. Privately funded, the program is dependent on financial support from the public through the purchase of OGT merchandise and memberships, donations, sponsorships, and gifts.

If a violation is currently in progress, please call 800792-GAME (4263) immediately - 24/7.