RICHARD LEBLANC, LITTLE COMPTON, RI
MARC FEDERICO, LITTLE COMPTON, RI [SON-IN-LAW OF RICHARD LEBLANC], OWNS THE MOOSE CAFE IN TIVERTON, RI
STEPHEN SCHENCK, WESTPORT, MA
WILLIAM MATTHEWS, FLORIDA
AUSTIN BRIDWELL, FLORIDA
JOSEPH CAETANO, MASSACHUSETTS - ALL ARTICLES EXCLUDE HIS HOMETOWN
RICHARD MEDEIROS, ACUSHNET, MA
THERE ARE OTHERS INCLUDED ON THE MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS LISTED BELOW
Mass., R.I. hunters fined $50,000 after a 'disturbing' poaching investigation in Montana
Published Feb. 19, 2022
LITTLE COMPTON, R.I — After a long battle with Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks department on allegations of poaching game animals in that state, a number of local men have entered a plea deal, agreeing to pay $50,000 in restitution, after an investigation that dates back to 2014.
Little Compton residents Richard Leblanc and Marc Federico, and Westport resident Stephen Schenck were sentenced on Jan. 11 in a plea deal with Montana state prosecutors in Garfield County. In addition to the $50,000 fine, the men were placed on six months' suspended jail sentences, according to Montana fish and game officials.
William Mathews, of Florida, also agreed to similar terms in the case.
Joseph Caetano, also of Massachusetts, had previously reached a plea deal and agreed to pay a $3,750 fine and a six-month suspended jail sentence.
All the local men have also lost hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 10 years in Montana.
Leblanc and his son-in-law, Federico, declined to speak on the record and directed comments to their Rhode Island attorney, Anthony Traini, who did not immediately return a request for comment.
Federico is the owner of The Moose Café in Tiverton.
Schenck and Caetano could not be contacted.
The investigation led to 18 more hunters, mostly from the West Coast, receiving fines and loss of hunting privileges, including Acushnet resident Richard Medeiros.
In a statement released by Montana wildlife officials on Wednesday, an investigation that started in 2014 centered around the Byron Kerr Ranch, located in the northeastern part of the state.
Capt. J.D. Douglas, of the special investigations' unit for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said Leblanc led a group of hunters who visited the ranch on annual hunting trips.
Douglas said the group had been investigated twice before between 2005 and 2011 and were issued 31 citations in that time frame for hunting violations. A third investigation began in 2014 after the department was provided anonymous information on their wildlife tip line.
“They just left a trail of devastation when they came over here,” said Douglas.
The hunters committed a number of violations regarding unlawfully shooting of antelope and deer, license violations and shooting game animals out of season, and they often left the carcasses in waste, said Douglas.
The group is also alleged to have unlawfully hunted mule deer bucks, one of the largest species of deer that requires special permitting and is coveted by hunters.
On the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Facebook page, the wildlife agency posted disturbing photographs of dead wildlife, some partially dismembered as part of the poaching investigation.
POACHERS SENTENCED AFTER LENGTHY INVESTIGATION IN NORTHEASTERN MONTANA
Feb 16, 2022 12:59 PM
Offenders focused on unlawful hunting of mule deer bucks in HD 652
HELENA – A poaching investigation in northeastern Montana that lasted more than two and a half years, ended with several men being sentenced last month in the Montana 16th Judicial District Court in Garfield County.
“FWP enforcement’s excellent work and diligence resulted in the exposure of one of the most disturbing poaching cases in recent history,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Hank Worsech. “From initial investigations to sentencing, our wardens demonstrated their commitment to the stewardship and protection of Montana’s outdoor resources.”
The investigation centered on a hunting party led by Richard LeBlanc and their continued poaching activities on and around the Byron Kerr Ranch in Garfield and McCone counties. From 2005 to 2011, 31 citations were issued to LeBlanc and other members of his hunting parties for numerous violations. Additional information received in 2014 started the most recent investigation.
“The poachers targeted deer and antelope, but their main focus was the unlawful hunting of mule deer bucks in hunting district 652,” said Fish, Wildlife & Parks Criminal Investigator Steve Marx.
Mule deer bucks in HD 652 can only be hunted with a special permit obtained through the state’s drawing system.
LeBlanc and Marc Federico, of Rhode Island, Stephen Schenck, of Massachusetts, and William Mathews, of Florida, were sentenced Jan. 11.
As part of a plea agreement, LeBlanc, Federico, Schenck and Mathews were jointly and individually ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution and received six-month suspended jail sentences.
LeBlanc’s hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were suspended for a period of 10 years while Federico, Schenck and Mathews’ privileges were suspended for eight, seven and two years, respectively.
In addition, Joseph Caetano, of Massachusetts, and Austin Bridwell, of Florida, both appeared and were sentenced earlier in the case. Caetano was ordered to pay $3,750, received a six-month suspended jail sentence and lost hunting fishing and trapping privileges for 10 years. Bridwell paid $1,400, received a 12-month suspended jail sentence and lost hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for two years.
All defendants will be entered into the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. LeBlanc, Federico, Schenck, Mathews and Caetano cannot accompany anyone hunting, fishing or trapping in Montana during their suspension periods.
The case revealed evidence of at least 48 unlawfully taken game animals. Charges included: failing to wear hunter orange, shooting from the roadway, loan and transfer of hunting licenses, taking an overlimit of game animals, waste of game, possession of unlawfully killed deer and antelope, hunting during a closed season, hunting without a valid license, hunting without a valid permit, failure to tag, felony possession of wildlife and conspiracy to commit an offense.
In addition to the individuals mentioned above, the investigation revealed other hunting parties were also committing violations on and around the Kerr Ranch. The following defendants were also apprehended and prosecuted during the operation.
Name | Fines and Fees | Restitution | Privilege loss |
|---|---|---|---|
Byron Kerr, Jordan | $570 | $500 | 24 months |
Richard Sample Jr., Olalla, Wash. | $3,210 |
| 36 months |
Richard Sample Sr., Leavenworth, Wash. | $1,540 | $500 | 24 months |
Chuck Sample, Port Orchard, Wash. | $1,070 | $500 | 24 months |
Joseph Lockhart, Port Orchard, Wash. | $235 |
|
|
Daniel Anderson, Port Hadlock, Wash. | $135 |
|
|
Paul Darst, Port Orchard, Wash. | $1,540 | $500 | 24 months |
Michael Jennings, Chimacum, Wash. | $2,475 | $1000 | 24 months |
Kevin Morris, Shelton, Wash. | $235 |
|
|
James Hart, Olalla, Wash. | $1,205 |
| 24 months |
Bonnie Price, Port Orchard, Wash. | $870 |
| 24 months |
William Ashby, Port Orchard, Wash. | $940 |
| 24 months |
Jeremy Mullins, Gig Harbor, Wash. | $535 |
| 24 months |
Jason Higginbotham, Gig Harbor, Wash. | $1,070 | $500 | 24 months |
Jeff Johnson, Kilkenny, Minn. | $135 |
|
|
Steve Simolari, Somers, Conn. | $535 | $500 | 24 months |
Richard Mederios, Acushnet, Mass. | $535 | $500 | 24 months |
Andrade Azevedo, Elkmont, Ala. | $535 | $500 | 24 months |
“I’d like to thank all the officers that assisted with the case and the Montana Attorney General’s office for prosecuting the case,” Marx said.
In what was described as one of the most disturbing poaching cases in recent history, four men were sentenced in Montana’s 16th Judicial District Court in Garfield County for their roles in unlawfully taking 48 game animals, bringing a close to an investigation that began in 2014.
excerpt:
In a plea bargain, Richard LeBlanc of Rhode Island, Marc Federico of Rhode Island, Stephen Schenck of Massachusetts and William Mathews of Florida were jointly and individually ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution and received six-month suspended jail sentences, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced Wednesday.
LeBlanc’s hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were suspended for 10 years, while Federico, Schenck and Mathews’ privileges were suspended for eight, seven and two years, respectively.
LeBlanc and other members of his hunting parties had already accumulated 31 citations for numerous violations stemming from poaching activities around the Byron Kerr Ranch in Garfield and McCone counties from 2005 to 2011.
Additional information received in 2014 prompted the latest lengthy investigation.
“The poachers targeted deer and antelope, but their main focus was the unlawful hunting of mule deer bucks in hunting district 652,” said Fish, Wildlife and Parks Criminal Investigator Steve Marx.
Mule deer bucks in HD 652 can only be hunted with a special permit obtained through the state’s drawing system.
Also on FTW Outdoors: Poacher caught with protected species in case with surprise ending
Charges included failing to wear hunter orange, shooting from the roadway, loan and transfer of hunting licenses, taking an over limit of game animals, waste of game, possession of unlawfully killed deer and antelope, hunting during a closed season, hunting without a valid license, hunting without a valid permit, failure to tag, felony possession of wildlife and conspiracy to commit an offense.
Two others were sentenced earlier and given lighter penalties in the case. Joseph Caetano of Massachusetts was ordered to pay $3,750, received a six-month suspended jail sentence and lost hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 10 years, and Austin Bridwell of Florida was ordered to pay $1,400, received a 12-month suspended jail sentence and lost hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for two years.
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