BENTON, Ill. — Five Mississippi men have been sentenced in federal court for illegally hunting white-tailed deer across multiple southern Illinois counties using spotlights and transporting the carcasses across state lines.
The defendants admitted to violating the Lacey Act in a poaching operation that targeted deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope, and Clark counties between 2018 and 2022.
Lee J. Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to unlawful transport of wildlife and was sentenced to five years’ probation, a $10,000 fine, and $75,000 in restitution.
Steven J. Pique, 56, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. He was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Gerald B. Moran, 40, of Saucier, pleaded guilty to unlawful transport of wildlife and received five years’ probation, a $2,500 fine, and $5,000 in restitution.
Joshua A. Marshall, 30, also of Saucier, received three years’ probation, a $2,500 fine, and $7,500 in restitution after pleading guilty to the same charge.
John M. Pritchard, 57, of Biloxi, was sentenced to five years’ probation, a $5,000 fine, and $10,000 in restitution for unlawful wildlife transport.
According to court records, the men used spotlights to locate deer at night, shot them using rifles, and later retrieved the carcasses. They transported the animals back to Mississippi for processing, often mounting heads or antlers.
Fines will be directed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lacey Act Reward Account. Restitution will be paid to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
The multi-year investigation was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Illinois Conservation Police.
The poaching operation was described by authorities as a deliberate effort to exploit Illinois’s wildlife resources for personal gain.