Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that the State Grand Jury returned a 30-count Indictment against fourteen individuals involved in poaching wildlife throughout Arizona.
The Indictment alleges that wildlife poachers committed conspiracy, illegally conducting an enterprise, theft, and animal cruelty when they poached numerous animals regulated by Arizona Law including bighorn sheep, elk, pronghorn antelope, deer, javelina, and turkey from 2018 to 2021. The alleged actions of this group resulted in the loss of more than $200,000 worth of wildlife to the State of Arizona.
Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Arizona Game and Fish Department conducted the investigation in this case. A copy of the indictment is available here.
Additional Information on Poaching:
Poaching steals one of Arizona’s most precious natural resources – wildlife! Poaching interferes with the ability to effectively manage wildlife and wildlife habitat. It negatively impacts the ability to enjoy the outdoors, and reduces opportunities to hunt and fish in Arizona.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department needs the public’s help to address illegal poaching. Operation Game Thief (OGT) is a silent witness, anti-poaching program that encourages the public to report any suspicious activity or knowledge about a poaching violation. The toll-free hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to report wildlife violations.
Original source can be found here.