CALDWELL — Four of the 11 defendants named in an Adams County wildlife poaching conspiracy case have recently been found guilty or pleaded guilty to charges against them, according to a press release from the Idaho Fish and Game.
The investigation into the poaching case began in fall 2015 when Fish and Game officers discovered the remains of a bull elk killed before the legal hunting season opened in unit 22, west of McCall. By the time the investigation concluded, the releases states officers had discovered at least four more illegally-taken bull elk and at least one mule deer.
The release states two of the seven felony defendants have accepted misdemeanor plea agreements.
Those men are Roger Brutsman, 48, of Wilder and Adam Norris, 28, of Nampa.
Brutsman pleaded guilty to the unlawful taking of a 2x2 bull elk. Brutsman, who was sentenced in May, must pay $1,465 in fines and will be on probation for two years. Brutsman received a two-year hunting revocation, where he may not accompany others in hunting activities.
Norris pleaded guilty to the unlawful taking of a 4x4 bull elk. He was sentenced in July to 90 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1,445 in fines. In addition to a five-year hunting and trapping revocation, Norris will spend the next two years on probation and may not accompany others in hunting or trapping activities during his probation.
Another sentenced so far in the case is, Tyler Dutton, 23, of Caldwell. He was convicted by a jury in July and was sentenced Aug. 17. Misdemeanor charges against Dutton include hunting while revoked, closed season take of a big game animal, illegal possession of a big game animal, wasteful destruction of a big game animal, and using another person’s big game tag.
Dutton received more than $3,300 in fines and court costs and lost his hunting and fishing privileges for 10 years. The release states he also may not accompany others in hunting and fishing activities for the same period. Dutton will also serve 30 days in jail and has a probationary period of 10 years following that.
The release states Miranda Clausen, 25, of Caldwell, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor wasteful destruction of a big game animal and a misdemeanor of using another person’s big game tag. She was sentenced Sept. 7 to 20 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1,645 fine. Clausen lost her hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for six years, and will remain on probation for the next four years.
The release states that in August, five case defendants — Shannan Norris, 45; Casey Dutton, 23; Bob Norris, 69; Trey Painter, 23; and Chad Painter, 44, all of Caldwell — were arraigned on a total of 20 felony counts involving conspiracy to unlawfully possess big game animals. Each felony charge carries potential prison time of up to five years and fines up to $50,000. A lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping revocation may also be included in felony sentencing at the judge’s discretion.
