http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...C82C578BDEF5BDBE8625714900112762?OpenDocument
Sting by Illinois officials nets 14 poaching suspects
By Terry Hillig
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/07/2006
Illinois Conservation Police have charged 14 suspected poachers with numerous violations of state and federal wildlife laws after a 2 1/2-year undercover investigation in Jersey and Pike counties.
Sam Flood, the acting director of the state's Department of Natural Resources, said in a news release that "Operation Mongo" broke up "a major network of illegal hunters."
Investigators acted after complaints from local hunters, and they sometimes accompanied suspects during their allegedly unlawful activities.
"Anytime you have more than a dozen arrests, it is a significant operation, and the investigation is continuing," said DNR spokesman Chris McCloud. He would not elaborate on connections among the suspects.
They face dozens of charges that include hunting on nature preserves, spotlighting animals, possessing threatened species and falsifying records.
Robert M. DeSherlia, 37, of Grafton, faces three misdemeanor charges, including unlawful possession of a timber rattlesnake, which is classified as a threatened species in Illinois.
Steven W. Gross, 55, of Grafton, faces seven misdemeanor charges, including unlawful possession of an owl's feet.
Other defendants are: Kenneth L. Pace, 33, of Grafton; Daniel A. Bailey, 37, of Grafton; Susan M. Baze, 38, of Grafton; Robert L. Wangler, 27, of Fieldon; Billy J. Wangler, 30, of Fieldon; Stephen D. (Duane) Brown, 32, of Griggsville; Stephen D. Brown, 56, of Griggsville; Joyce E. Brown, 51, of Griggsville; Dennis L. Will, 50, of Griggsville; Paul Klinefelter, 74, of Pittsfield; Ronald K. Clemence, 49, of Athens; and Ronald D. Clemence, 18, of Athens.
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