United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that five men from South Dakota and one man from Minnesota, convicted of Unlawful Taking of Migratory Birds and Lacey Act Violations, were sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge John E. Simko on Aug. 19, 2013.
Eight men were originally charged in this case, with one sentence handed down on July 15, 2013, and the remaining sentence scheduled for Aug. 28, 2013.
The individuals sentenced today include:
• Jaron Anderson, age 22, of Brookings, South Dakota, was sentenced to 3 years of probation; a $200 fine; $4,875 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Anderson’s hunting privileges are revoked for a period of 3 years.
• Aaron Eich, age 29, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced to 2 years of probation; a $200 fine; $4,875 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Eich’s hunting privileges are revoked for a period of 2 years.
• Christopher Paclik, age 22, of Brookings, South Dakota, was sentenced to 1 year of probation; a $200 fine; $4,050 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Paclik’s hunting privileges are revoked for a period of 1 year.
• Austin Lueck, age 21, of Lake Benton, Minnesota, was sentenced to probation until Jan. 13, 2015; a $200 fine; $3,750 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Lueck’s hunting privileges will be revoked for 1 year starting on Jan. 13, 2014.
• Scott Nenaber, age 33, of Alpena, South Dakota, was sentenced to 1 year of probation; a $200 fine; $2,175 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Nenaber’s hunting privileges are revoked for a period of 1 year.
• Ben Burgess, age 30, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced to 1 year of probation; a $200 fine; $825 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Burgess’ hunting privileges are revoked for a period of 1 year.
Nicholas Connor, age 21, of Winfred, South Dakota, will be sentenced on Aug. 28, 2013.
Travis Vacek, age 34, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, previously pled guilty to Unlawful Taking of Migratory Birds and a Lacey Act Violation, and was sentenced on July 15, 2013, to 1 year of probation; a $200 fine; $1,350 in restitution; and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Vacek’s hunting privileges are revoked for a period of 1 year.
The charges stem from a case wherein Anderson, Burgess, Connor, Eich, Lueck, Nenaber, Paclik and Vacek, a group of friends known as “Team Those Guys," hunted between Nov. 24, 2012 and Nov. 29, 2012 in Miner County, South Dakota. In total, the hunters illegally killed 417 geese and 6 Canada geese using an electronic device. They all admitted they knew it was illegal to use said device while goose hunting during that time of year. After killing the geese, they were transported from the field to various locations in violation of federal law.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
