One man has pleaded guilty after Fish and Wildlife officers charged two men almost two years after releasing video of a possible poaching incident in northern Alberta.
In December 2016, Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement posted a video on their Facebook page. They said it was a video provided to them by a citizen who happened to be “in the right place at the right time,” to capture the alleged poaching of a white-tailed deer.
Officers said the video, which can be viewed at the top of this story, shows a deer on the left being shot before a truck drives over and several people load the carcass into the vehicle.
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It was alleged to have happened on Nov. 5, 2016 near the town of Colinton, which is about 20 kilometres south of Athabasca.
Multiple charges were laid against Leeland Stringer, 40, and Brett Letki, 38.
Stringer was facing five charges including discharging a firearm from the road and discharging a firearm from a vehicle while both men were charged with unlawful possession of wildlife and allowing the edible flesh of a big game animal to be wasted.
In a Facebook post, Alberta Fish and Wildlife said that their investigation shows that, even though the men took the deer, the meat was never used.
The two appeared in Boyle Provincial Court on Tuesday.
According to Alberta Justice, Letki pleaded guilty to allowing the edible flesh of a big game animal be wasted. He was handed a $4,000 fine and a two-year hunting suspension.
Stringer’s matter was held over for one month.
According to the Wildlife Act, the maximum fine is $50,000 and/or one year in jail for a first offence.