GREAT FALLS - Two men have been sentenced for killing fish in a Great Falls display pond and poaching several elk and a black bear.
Richard Van Meter, 22, and Ty Robert Lewis, 21, have been sentenced for unlawful possession of a game animal, unlawful possession of a game fish, waste of a game animal, waste of a game fish, and hunting without a valid license.
Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks said in a press release issued Friday that Lewis paid $16,000 in fines and restitution, and Van Meter paid $8,000 in fines and restitution.
Both men will also lose their hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges in Montana for 20 years.
The poaching investigation began with the killing of fish in the display pond of Giant Springs Fish Hatchery on Aug. 23, 2021, when FWP game wardens discovered several large fish had been speared with a sharp object.
Some of the dead fish were left at the scene, while others that survived had to be euthanized.
On Sept. 19, 2021, wardens received a report that someone had shot and abandoned a bull elk on a ranch near Cascade. The head and antlers had been removed, as well as the lower jaw. The body had been left to waste.
During the course of the investigation wardens also determined that three bull elk and one black bear had also been killed illegally.
Tips from the public led wardens to Van Meter and Lewis, who later confessed to the crimes.
“This case took a few years, but thanks to the hard work of our game wardens, we are glad to finally wrap this case up,” said FWP Region 4 Warden Captain Dave Holland. “The sentences imposed by the court reflect the value of the resources taken by these two individuals, and especially the importance that the community places on the Giant Springs Hatchery.”
