Statewide Iowa — A DNR investigation has led to 48 wildlife charges against five people from western Iowa with nearly 83-thousand dollars in fines and liquidated damages.
State Conservation officer, Kirby Bragg, says it started with a warrant to search the home of 26-year-old Devon Lewis of rural Washta.
They eventually recovered many animals that had been taken illegally — including some 70 deer.
Devon Lewis pleaded guilty to 23 citations with fines and damages totaling 37-thousand-600 dollars and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension. The four others, 27-year-old Taylor Luvaas of Schaller, pleaded guilty to 14 citations, with fines and damages totaling 31-thousand-118 dollars and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension; 23-year-old Jacob Fouts of Cherokee, pleaded guilty to six citations, with fines and damages totaling five-thousand-861 dollars and his hunting license will be suspended; 22-year-old Dylan Lewis of Cushing, pleaded guilty to three citations, with fines and damages totaling five-thousand-251 dollars and his hunting license will be suspended, and 19-year-old Austin Lewis of Cushing, pleaded guilty to two citations, with fines and damages totaling 43-hundred dollars. Officers found evidence that poaching was a year-round network dating back to at least 2018. While poachers often sell the animals they take, officer Bragg says that wasn’t the case here.
Bragg says this type of thing hurts those who hunt legally.
The court took five rifles, three shotguns, and three bows used to commit the crimes.
