More plea agreements in West Virginia's largest deer poaching case
Jul. 20—KEYSER, W.Va. — More no contest pleas and house arrest time were agreed to in Mineral County Magistrate Court for defendants in West Virginia's largest known deer poaching case.
West Virginia Natural Resources Police conducted an investigation that led to 223 charges involving at least 27 antlered bucks taken illegally in Mineral, Grant and Hampshire counties from mid-September to late December against Tyler Biggs, his father Christopher Biggs, Dalton Dolly, Colton Broadwater, his father Gregory Broadwater, Ivy Rodeheaver, Robert Horner Sr. and his son Robert "Beau" Horner Jr.
All of the defendants live in Keyser.
Tyler Biggs and Dolly were Mineral County deputy sheriffs at the time of the alleged crimes, and have since resigned from their jobs.
On Tuesday, Horner Sr. appeared before Grant County Magistrate Willard L. Earle II.
Horner Sr. was originally charged with one count spotlighting, two counts illegal wildlife possession, three counts conspiracy, one count hunting from a vehicle, and one count nighttime hunting.
Under his plea agreement, the charges were reduced, no jail time was involved and he was ordered to pay $1,881 in fines and court costs.
Horner Jr. entered a no contest plea for charges including spotlighting, illegal possession of wildlife and hunting from a vehicle.
He was ordered to pay $5,727 in fees, fines and court costs.
Horner Jr., who lives with his parents, must serve 60 days of home incarceration and pay a $75 connection fee plus $14.70 per day to wear an ankle monitor.
Christopher Biggs, who was appointed EMS chief of the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services in 2019, had been scheduled to appear in Mineral County Magistrate Court Tuesday, but his appearance was continued without a new date being set.
He is charged with misdemeanors of spotlighting, hunting from a motor vehicle, having a loaded firearm in a vehicle and a general conspiracy hunting charge.
Christopher Biggs was suspended from his job effective immediately for an "alleged violation of law," county officials said via press release after news of the deer poaching case broke in January.
In the past few weeks, Tyler Biggs, Dolly and the Broadwaters accepted plea agreements that included fines and court costs, plus house arrest, from Hampshire County prosecuting attorney Rebecca Miller, who is overseeing the case in Mineral and Hampshire counties.
Rodeheaver was charged with seven counts each spotlighting, illegal wildlife possession, conspiracy, hunting in closed season, hunting from vehicle, loaded firearm in vehicle and nighttime hunting.
She is scheduled to appear in Mineral County Magistrate Court 9 a.m. Aug. 16.
Teresa McMinn is the Digital Editor for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.
