BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that ANDRE A. CHUSTZ JR., age 50, of Port Allen, Louisiana pled guilty and was sentenced for his violation of the Federal wildlife laws.
CHUSTZ was charged in a Bill of Information, filed on Jan. 23, 2015, charging him with transporting unlawfully-taken wildlife, in violation of Title 16, United States Code, Sections 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(2). At his guilty plea this morning, CHUSTZ admitted that in November 2013, he engaged in the unlawful hunting of deer in Breckenridge County, Kentucky without having first obtained the required non-resident hunting licence and permit. CHUSTZ admitted he killed a 12- point whitetail buck (pictured below) and then caused another person, a Kentucky resident, to falsely report that the buck had been legally harvested. CHUSTZ then knowingly transported the cape, antlers, and meat from Kentucky to Louisiana and had the shoulder mount prepared by a local taxidermist.
At today’s sentencing, United States Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Riedlinger sentenced CHUSTZ to a 1-year term of probation, during which time CHUSTZ is barred from any and all deer hunting. CHUSTZ was also ordered to pay a $500 fine, to make restitution in the amount of $190 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and to forfeit the shoulder mount of the buck.
U.S. Attorney Green stated: “Wildlife laws are designed to protect our natural resources and to ensure that, through mandatory license and permit fees, States are able to offer quality hunting experiences to all citizens. Today’s guilty plea and sentence reflect the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and should act as a deterrent to others who might consider traveling from Louisiana to hunt in other States, without purchasing the required non-resident licences and permits."
This investigation was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III and investigated by USFWS Special Agent Ben Bryant.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
