The American Beagler Forum

I have followed this situtation from the beginning. But there are so many Wildlife Officials in trouble in Ohio it makes your head spin. Several have been fired recently for anything from Lacy Act Violations to Hunting while on duty and even taking OT, to using their govt credit cards for personal use. To much to post. Jeffery Frischkorn has done a great job covering it all and for that matter does a great job covering all of of Ohios outdoor news. Here is his site http://outdoorswithfrischkorn.blogspot.com/

On another note his reporting on new wildlife areas has helped find a few new areas to hunt rabbits in the past. Lotta good stuff on his blog for Ohio fisherman and hunters. He writes for all the Ohio Outdoor publications.

Blogs > Outdoors with Frischkorn

Friday, July 27, 2012

Former Ohio wildlife officer Allan Wright loses university security job
Allan Wright, the former Ohio Division of Wildlife officer who was sentenced July 17 in federal court for violating the Lacey Act, is out of another job.

Knoxville, Tenn.-based News Sentinel newspaper is reporting that Wright has been dismissed as a security guard with Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn.

Harrogate is located about 55 miles north of Knoxville in the Cumberland Mountains. It is a private liberal arts school spread out over 1,000 acres and has an enrollment of around 4,550 students.

In sentencing Wright July 17 for violating four misdemeanor charges of the federal Lacey Act, Federal Judge Michael R. Barrett said Wright has placed himself at a “crossroads,” a fork in life in which the one-time 18-year state wildlife officer could still “turn your life around.”

Wright became the first Ohio wildlife officer to be indicted in federal court for violating the nation’s chief wildlife protection law. He had been the Wildlife Division officer assigned to Brown County.

Barrett’s imposed sentence of Wright included: He can keep his new job within the security department of Lincoln Memorial University on the condition he must leave his weapon on campus, house arrest for three months and pay a $1,000 fine with the money going to the Wildlife Division’s Turn-in-A-Poacher (TIP) program. Added to this was a $25-per-count court cost.

Wright is also forbidden to buy any hunting or fishing license anywhere in the world for the next five years, the length of his probation.

However, following Wright’s sentencing the university severed its ties with Wright, the News Sentinel says.

Also, Jessica Little, Brown County prosecutor, says she intends to call disgraced and former state wildlife officer Allan Wright when the two recently indicted fellow agents go to trial.

On July 19, Ohio Division of Wildlife officers Dave Warner and Matthew Roberts were indicted in Brown County Court of Common Pleas for Theft in Office, a 5th Degree Felony; and Tampering with Records, a Third Degree Felony. Warner was also indicted for Dereliction of Duty, a Second Degree misdemeanor.

The charges stem from the pair’s alleged activity of hunting while on duty, and also for allegedly turning in bogus time slips that supposedly showed they were on duty when they were allegedly hunting with Wright.

Here is the text of today’s online story by News Sentinel reporter Megan Boehnke:

“A security officer hired by Lincoln Memorial University is no longer working at the school after a U.S. District judge sentenced him to three months of house arrest, five years probation and other penalties for misdemeanors he committed as a state wildlife officer in Ohio.

“Allan Wright pleaded guilty last month to four violations of the federal Lacey Act, a conservation law that prohibits the buying and selling of wildlife killed illegally. Wright was sentenced July 17, though university officials just learned it Tuesday, according to a statement released by a school spokeswoman.

“The Harrogate-based Lincoln Memorial ‘has taken appropriate action,’ the statement continues.

“‘Mr. Wright will no longer be a member of the University’s security or police force.’”

“The school did not return calls for further information about Wright or his employment.

“Wright pleaded guilty last month to allowing a South Carolina man to use Wright’s address to receive an in-state hunting license and falsely recording his three white-tailed deer kills, according to court documents and articles in The News-Herald, a daily newspaper in Willoughby, Ohio.

“Wright also pleaded guilty to falsely claiming in evidence logs to have destroyed antlers seized during his time as a wildlife officer and then transporting them to Michigan.

“He was sentenced by Judge Michael R. Barrett in a 37-minute hearing in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, according to court documents.

“Additional penalties include paying a $1,000 fine benefiting a state anti-poaching program and $100 in court fees. He is also prohibited from obtaining a hunting or fishing license and must keep his service weapon secured by his employer.

“It’s not clear whether LMU security officers carry firearms.”

See: http://m.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jul/27/ ... ed-for-in/






posted by News-Herald Blogs at 9:38 AM 0 Comments

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

UPDATED: Wildlife chief Zody "disheartened" regarding recent developments
In a July 20 memorandum sent to the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s employees, the agency’s chief called on all of them to “..strive to be open and transparent in our duties and responsibilities...”

Scott Zody said also that he was “very disheartened” following the criminal charges brought against two southwest Ohio-posted commissioned Wildlife Division officers.

His message was sent to the Wildlife Division's 441 full-time employees, including the agency's 139 commissioned officers.

Zody’s memo was in response to the indictments handed down July 19 by the Brown County prosecutor against wildlife officers Dave Warner and Matthew Roberts. These men were indicted on the following counts: Theft in Office, a 5th Degree Felony; and Tampering with Records, a Third Degree Felony. Warner was also indicted for Dereliction of Duty, a Second Degree misdemeanor.

The charges stem from the pair’s alleged activity of hunting while on duty, and also for allegedly turning in bogus time slips that supposedly showed they were on duty when they were allegedly hunting.

Documents and testimony also allege that the two were in the company of Allan Wright, the former state wildlife officer assigned to Brown County.

Wright was sentenced July 17 in federal court for violating the federal Lacey Act.

On Tuesday, Brown County prosecutor Jessica Little said she intends to call Wright as a prosecution witness against Warner and Roberts.

Wright has been granted immunity of the same charges brought against his former coworkers who are now charged with their alleged illegal conduct.

For his part, Zody in the memo reminds his staff that each person needs to adhere to proper record-keeping and to take “common sense steps” to help “ensure compliance.”

Zody then adds that all Wildlife Division employees must remain focused on “fulfilling our mission” to the people of Ohio along with maintaining the “highest quality customer service and integrity.”

He concludes by saying that the agency’s employees must not be “distracted by the naysayers and critics,” though Zody does not indicate who these individuals may be.

Neither Zody nor McCorkle returned email requests for information while McCorkle also did not respond to telephone calls.

Here is the complete text of Zody’s July 20 memorandum

Here we go more Wildlife Officials Fired.....with Allan Wright being used to as key witness in his plea deal, I bet a lot of them wish they had not written letters in support of him now, as he turned on his friends to save his hide.

State fires indicted Wildlife Division supervisor
As one of two recently indicted Ohio Division of Wildlife officers, David Warner is not only facing a court trial but will likely have to update his job resumé too.

Warner had been the field supervisor for the Wildlife Division’s District Five (southwest Ohio), a position he was fired from by the agency Sept. 21 - last Friday.

The firing came in a tersely written notification letter issued by the Wildlife Division. This letter to Warner spelled out the reasons for him being fired, the document citing several serious matters.

“As a result of your pre-disciplinary hearing held September 7, 2012, you were found guilty of violating the following provisions of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Disciplinary Policy,” the notification letter reads.

Continuing with the letter’s narrative, the Natural Resources Department charged that Warner engaged in “Dishonesty” by “willfully falsifying or removing any official document,” along with “Neglect of Duty,” and two items described as being “Failure of Good Behavior.”

The firing comes on the heels of an indictment that was filed in the Brown County Court of Common Pleas and presented by that jurisdiction’s prosecutor Jessica Little.

Warner - along with state wildlife officer Matthew Roberts - were charged in July for theft in office, a fifth degree felony, and tampering with records, a third degree felony.

Warner was also indicted for dereliction of duty, a second degree misdemeanor.

The charges stem from the pair’s alleged activity of hunting while on duty, and for allegedly turning in bogus time slips that supposedly showed they were on duty when they were allegedly hunting with former state wildlife officer Allan Wright, who had been assigned to Brown County.

As part of his plea deal, Wright has agreed to return to Ohio and testify against Warner and Roberts, Little has said.

A fifth degree felony is punishable by a jail term of six to 12 months, a maximum fine of $2,500 or both. A third degree Felony is punishable by a jail term of one to five years, a maximum fine of $10,000 or both. A third degree misdemeanor is punishable by a jail term of not more than 60 days, a maximum fine of $500 or both.

And though Warner has been discharged from the Wildlife Division he still faces the charges brought by Little in the Brown County court system.

In regards to Roberts, he “...has a right to due process, which is where we are right now,” said Bethany McCorkle, the Natural Resources’ interim chief of communications.

“He (Roberts) has had a pre-disciplinary hearing but at this time no decision has been made,” McCorkle electronically informed The News-Herald.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @Fieldkorn

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Blogs > Outdoors with Frischkorn

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Matthew Roberts becomes latest fired Wildlife Division officer
Following an internal pre-disciplinary hearing conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Matthew Roberts has been fired as an officer with the agency’s Division of Wildlife.

Thus Roberts joins former Wildlife Division supervisor David Warner in being the two mostly recently discharged state wildlife officers.

In each case the separation was made after the Natural Resources Department determined the men had violated state policy governing conduct while on duty.

Their separation also comes after each man was indicted in Brown County Court of Common Pleas for allegedly violating state law regarding employment irregularities.

Roberts and Warner were charged in July for theft in office, a fifth degree felony, and tampering with records, a third degree felony.

Warner was also indicted for dereliction of duty, a second degree misdemeanor.

The charges stem from the pair’s alleged activity of hunting while on duty, and for allegedly turning in bogus time slips that supposedly showed they were on duty when they were allegedly hunting with former state wildlife officer Allan Wright, who had been assigned to Brown County.

A fifth degree felony is punishable by a jail term of six to 12 months, a maximum fine of $2,500 or both

A third degree felony is punishable by a jail term of one to five years, a maximum fine of $10,000 or both.

A third degree misdemeanor is punishable by a jail term of not more than 60 days, a maximum fine of $500 or both.

Warner was fired Sept. 21 and Roberts was discharged seven days later, Sept. 28.

In a copy of the hand-delivered letter to Roberts, Natural Resources Director James Zehringer says that the former wildlife officer assigned to Clinton County in southwest Ohio was fired for violating three agency disciplinary policy positions:

* “B. Dishonesty - 2. Willfully falsifying or removing any official document.

* “D. Failure of Good Behavior - 1. Failure of Good Behavior.

* “D. Failure of Good Behavior - 7. ... any act that brings discredit to the employer.”

Roberts is scheduled to appear before the Brown County Court of Common Pleas at noon, Oct. 12 for his second pre-trial hearing.

Meanwhile, Warner is scheduled to appear before the Brown County Court of Common Pleas at 12:15 p.m., Oct. 18 for his second pre-trial hearing.


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @Fieldkorn

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Blogs > Outdoors with Frischkorn

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Matthew Roberts becomes latest fired Wildlife Division officer
Following an internal pre-disciplinary hearing conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Matthew Roberts has been fired as an officer with the agency’s Division of Wildlife.

Thus Roberts joins former Wildlife Division supervisor David Warner in being the two mostly recently discharged state wildlife officers.

In each case the separation was made after the Natural Resources Department determined the men had violated state policy governing conduct while on duty.

Their separation also comes after each man was indicted in Brown County Court of Common Pleas for allegedly violating state law regarding employment irregularities.

Roberts and Warner were charged in July for theft in office, a fifth degree felony, and tampering with records, a third degree felony.

Warner was also indicted for dereliction of duty, a second degree misdemeanor.

The charges stem from the pair’s alleged activity of hunting while on duty, and for allegedly turning in bogus time slips that supposedly showed they were on duty when they were allegedly hunting with former state wildlife officer Allan Wright, who had been assigned to Brown County.

A fifth degree felony is punishable by a jail term of six to 12 months, a maximum fine of $2,500 or both

A third degree felony is punishable by a jail term of one to five years, a maximum fine of $10,000 or both.

A third degree misdemeanor is punishable by a jail term of not more than 60 days, a maximum fine of $500 or both.

Warner was fired Sept. 21 and Roberts was discharged seven days later, Sept. 28.

In a copy of the hand-delivered letter to Roberts, Natural Resources Director James Zehringer says that the former wildlife officer assigned to Clinton County in southwest Ohio was fired for violating three agency disciplinary policy positions:

* “B. Dishonesty - 2. Willfully falsifying or removing any official document.

* “D. Failure of Good Behavior - 1. Failure of Good Behavior.

* “D. Failure of Good Behavior - 7. ... any act that brings discredit to the employer.”

Roberts is scheduled to appear before the Brown County Court of Common Pleas at noon, Oct. 12 for his second pre-trial hearing.

Meanwhile, Warner is scheduled to appear before the Brown County Court of Common Pleas at 12:15 p.m., Oct. 18 for his second pre-trial hearing.


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @Fieldkorn

What exactly did they do wrong to violate the Lacy Act?

In the article I find a few references to wrongdoing,

a) hunting while on the job

b) turning in falsified pay slips when they were really hunting.

That's bad and all, but those are really more stupidity than criminality. A Lacy Act violation is a bit bigger deal. What, did they sell their illegally harvested ducks or something? I'm not saying that this isn't wrong and they don't deserve to be punished, it just doesn't seem like something real pervasive in the organization, but more like a bunch of randomly scattered, mismanaged bad apples. Then again, this isn't a really story I've been following or anything.

The charges of Lacey Act violations were with Allan Wright. It all seems to start with him and charges that his former bosses tryed to protect him. He was found to have helped a SC Wildlife officer obtain a resident license and take deer in Ohio. Also he was found to have sent antlers he was confiscating out of state. Apparently he faked destruction records to accomplish this.

He had several of his freinds in the ODNR write letters for him before his trial, which got them some sanction. And then in turn to save himself agreed to testify against several of his former comrades. It is reported that there were other charges he could have been charged with but was given immunity to testify against his old friends and co-workers.

If you read into the reports you will see that not only in some cases were wildlife officials not working, but putting in for overtime on top of taking pay for hours not worked. When working for the government these actions are treated as theft in office.

Here we go again, Ohio deserves better than this..... SHAMEFUL

http://outdoorswithfrischkorn.blogspot. ... icers.html


BREAKING & UPDATED: 18 Ohio wildlife officers under cloud for allegedly hunting while on the clock

In a scathing investigation that implicates 18 Ohio Division of Wildlife agent for hunting while on the clock, the Ohio Inspector General has issued a 20-page report on the alleged abuses.


Nearly two years ago the Ohio Inspector General investigated two Wildlife Division officers assigned to southwest Ohio. This investigation was launched to determined whether the law enforcement officers were hunting while on duty and if so, did they submit time slip reports in order to receive their pay.


When the investigation concluded that the two officers in fact had hunted while on duty and claimed the time both men were fired by the parent Ohio Department of Natural Resources.


However, in its 20-page report the Ohio Inspector General's office noted that it wanted to inquire further as to whether these two incidents were isolated or “were common occurrences in other parts of the state.”


In order to determine if this indeed was the case the Inspector General requested not only time slip records from the Wildlife Division but also deer harvest data. These two sets of documents were then compared, the report notes.


While some of the documentation showed that a deer was taken while an individual was on duty other data did not support that occurrence, the report says.


Likewise, some officers later changed their time slips to reflect they were not on duty at the time they killed a deer, the report also says.


“As a result of previous investigations, it has been determined that many wildlife officers did not follow ODNR communication policy of marking on duty at the beginning of their shift, off duty at the end of their shift, or provide hourly updates of the their status.


“Also, the Ohio Division of Wildlife does not audit or compare the number of hours marked as being on duty,” said the report on page Five.


The officers whom the Ohio Inspector General alleges hunted or killed a deer either while on the clock or else made errors in accounting for their time include: David Gilkey; Brian Baker; Roy Rucker; Troy Reimund; Jeremy Carter; Ryan Garrison; Brian Bury; Brett Barnes; Travis Abele; Brad Baske; Joshua Zientek; Jeffrey Tipton; David Brown; Nicholas Turner; Matthew Smith; Brad Kiger; Scott Denamen; James Carnes.


In all, the report says, 11 of the officers “clearly harvested deer during their on-duty hours.”


And 12 officer harvested deer, “if they worked the number of hours they claimed,” says the report on pages 13 and 14.


“The total number of deer harvesting instances would be 23,” says the report also.


A second group, says the report, “did not follow the ODNR communication policy,” further citing that the agency is lax in its accounting of hours worked, when officers sign in and sign out.


“This lack of accountability and supervision along with the wildlife officers' compliance with the (ODNR's) communication policy is also an officer safety issue,” the report notes.


As for recommendations the Ohio Inspector General lists three.

They include: reviews the actions of all employees to determine whether their conduct warrants further administrative action or training; review the Ohio Department of Administrative Services' time and attendance policy, and state of Ohio ethics laws with all personnel; and requires that supervisors audit work hours claimed by wildlife officers to assure accuracy and compliance with laws and policy.

The Natural Resources Department announced that all of the 18 officers were placed on administrative duties and assigned to their respective district offices.

Under such stipulations protocol typically includes the turning in of weaponry, motor vehicles and not permitted to engage in any law enforcement activity.

That last item could give the Wildlife Division at least a little heartburn. Ohio is still in the midst of several hunting seasons, including waterfowl, archery deer as well as small game.

And the statewide muzzle-loading deer-hunting season is set for Jan. 4 through 7.

Thus, lacking 18 officers with law enforcement authority on top of any number of existing vacancies in staffing counties with an agent may very well spread thin the Wildlife Division's line against deer poaching during the muzzle-loading season.

Yet Ohio's Wildlife Division is not the only such agency experiencing accusations of wrong-doing by some of its employees.

Across the Ohio River in Kentucky that state's Inspector General found alleged improprieties with some Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources personnel as well.



Kentucky's Inspector General recently issued findings that allege some agency officials pulled strings to have free fish delivered to private ponds. That is something that most farm pond owners are ineligible to get.

The Kentucky Inspector General also alleges that another agency official ordered a number of state employees on state time and driving a state motor vehicle to pick up building material for a former head of the department, reports the Associated Press in Kentucky.


Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/12/09/2979 ... rylink=cpy


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

wow!

Wow is right. From the selling of Antlers illegally taken from hunters to theft in office. The ODW has had an unbelievable record with its wildlife agents with folks from the former chief on down the line being charged. The really bad part is the investigation indicates the actual number of Wildlife Agents that may have been hunting on duty was possibly over 70. It was the ones that were successful in their hunt and the tagging of their deer that got them caught. In the past 4 years there has been numbers of various laws broken from federal lacey act violations to embezzlement and government credit card theft. Its a bad deal.