Washington Hunter
Well-known member
This may have been posted somewhere on Hunt Talk already, I'm not sure, but I don't recall seeing it. It's all over some of the other message boards. Anyway the guy got busted again and he's really in deep this time. This is the reason elk farms and any kind of private ownership of elk should be illegal! |oo Here's the news release:
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, FEB. 2, 2006:
GRAND JURY INDICTS GAME PARK OWNERS IN ILLEGAL ELK TRANSPORTATION CASE
GRANTS – The owners of two private elk hunting parks were indicted Wednesday by a Cibola County Grand Jury on a total of 41 felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with an alleged operation to illegally drug and transport wild elk, and for allegedly receiving stolen bighorn sheep heads.
Kirt L. Darner, 66, and his wife Paula D. Darner, 49, owners of the 40-acre Lobo Canyon Ranch north of Grants, were charged with several felonies, including receiving stolen property, transportation of stolen livestock, and tampering with evidence. They are accused of illegally moving as many as four state-owned elk from the Lobo Canyon Ranch to the Pancho Peaks ranch and game park in southeastern New Mexico in 2002. The Pancho Peaks Ranch is owned by Steve W. Lewis of Artesia.
Lewis, 46, was indicted on two felony counts of conspiracy in connection with his alleged role in acquiring or providing the animal tranquilizer, xylazine hydrochloride and its reversal agent, yohimbine. Zylazine hydrochloride, a state and federally controlled substance, allegedly was used to sedate the large bull elk so they could be moved.
Department of Game and Fish officers who executed a search warrant at the Darner property in February 2005 also discovered a desert bighorn sheep head and a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep head inside a vehicle. Further examination of the heads indicated they allegedly were stolen from a Montrose, Colo. , taxidermy shop in 2000.
“These are serious crimes that we intend to vigorously prosecute,” Cibola County District Attorney Lemuel Martinez said. “We need to send a strong message that we won't tolerate it when people try to illegally transport, drug and profit from wildlife that is owned by the citizens of New Mexico .”
If convicted, Kirt Darner could face a maximum 33-year jail term on nine felony charges, Paula Darner could face 24 years in jail on six felony charges, and Lewis could face 3 years in jail on two felony charges. The Darners and Lewis are expected to be arraigned in Cibola County District Court sometime in the next few weeks.
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New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, FEB. 2, 2006:
GRAND JURY INDICTS GAME PARK OWNERS IN ILLEGAL ELK TRANSPORTATION CASE
GRANTS – The owners of two private elk hunting parks were indicted Wednesday by a Cibola County Grand Jury on a total of 41 felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with an alleged operation to illegally drug and transport wild elk, and for allegedly receiving stolen bighorn sheep heads.
Kirt L. Darner, 66, and his wife Paula D. Darner, 49, owners of the 40-acre Lobo Canyon Ranch north of Grants, were charged with several felonies, including receiving stolen property, transportation of stolen livestock, and tampering with evidence. They are accused of illegally moving as many as four state-owned elk from the Lobo Canyon Ranch to the Pancho Peaks ranch and game park in southeastern New Mexico in 2002. The Pancho Peaks Ranch is owned by Steve W. Lewis of Artesia.
Lewis, 46, was indicted on two felony counts of conspiracy in connection with his alleged role in acquiring or providing the animal tranquilizer, xylazine hydrochloride and its reversal agent, yohimbine. Zylazine hydrochloride, a state and federally controlled substance, allegedly was used to sedate the large bull elk so they could be moved.
Department of Game and Fish officers who executed a search warrant at the Darner property in February 2005 also discovered a desert bighorn sheep head and a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep head inside a vehicle. Further examination of the heads indicated they allegedly were stolen from a Montrose, Colo. , taxidermy shop in 2000.
“These are serious crimes that we intend to vigorously prosecute,” Cibola County District Attorney Lemuel Martinez said. “We need to send a strong message that we won't tolerate it when people try to illegally transport, drug and profit from wildlife that is owned by the citizens of New Mexico .”
If convicted, Kirt Darner could face a maximum 33-year jail term on nine felony charges, Paula Darner could face 24 years in jail on six felony charges, and Lewis could face 3 years in jail on two felony charges. The Darners and Lewis are expected to be arraigned in Cibola County District Court sometime in the next few weeks.
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