Colorado hunting guide gets two years in prison for illegal wild cat hunts
By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado hunting guide and outfitter who pleaded guilty to maiming bob cats and cougars to help clients more easily kill the animals was sentenced on Thursday to 27 months in prison, authorities said. Christopher Loncarich, 56, was sentenced in Denver federal court for conspiring to violate the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits the transport or sale of illegally obtained wildlife across state lines, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a statement. According to court documents, between 2007 and 2010 Loncarich, or his employees, would illegally capture the cats in Utah and sneak them across the state line into Colorado to provide clients with phony fair chase hunts. Loncarich or his workers would then hobble the animals by shooting them in the paws, or keeping them in cages or leg traps until the hunter arrived. Clients would pay Loncarich up to $7,500 for each big-game hunt. He admitted that he personally helped clients kill 15 mountain lions and four bob cats. "This is easily among the worst cases of illegal taking and poaching of wildlife I have seen in my 40-plus years in wildlife management," Ron Velarde, a regional manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said in a statement. Wildlife agencies in Utah and Colorado conducted the probe along with federal agents. Loncarich was initially indicted on 17 counts, but in a deal struck with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty in August to one count and in exchange prosecutors dropped the remaining charges. Two of Loncarich's daughters who were charged in the conspiracy pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, and were fined and sentenced to probation. Two of his former guides have likewise pleaded guilty in the case. Marvin Ellis was sentenced to three years probation and fined $3,100. Nicholaus Rodgers will be sentenced in January. After completing his prison term, Loncarich must serve three years of probation and is banned from hunting and fishing during that time. (Editing by Curtis Skinner & Kim Coghill)
