Man Banned From Hunting Jailed For Poaching Deer

Three Warren County men convicted of wildlife violations

CARLISLE, OHIO - A Warren County man will serve jail time after being convicted in Franklin and Clinton County Municipal Courts for wildlife violations related to the poaching of white-tailed deer.

On November 20, 2008, acting on calls to the statewide Turn In A Poacher (TIP) hotline, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife conducted a surveillance operation in Clinton County, Ohio. As a result of the operation, a Warren County man with a history of wildlife violations and his two hunting companions, were convicted of numerous charges. The three recently appeared in court for sentencing.

George Plessinger, 51, of Carlisle, appeared with his attorney in the Franklin Municipal Court before Judge Rupert Ruppert on February 6, 2009. As part of a plea agreement Plessinger was sentenced to the following: lifetime hunting ban under wildlife violator compact, forfeited items seized during the search warrant to include numerous sets of deer antlers and a muzzle loading rifle, $600 fine and received a 120 day jail sentence that was suspended. On March 10, 2009 Mr. Plessinger appeared with his attorney before Judge Chad Carey of the Clinton County Municipal Court and as part of a plea agreement was sentenced to the following: 180 day jail sentence with 150 days suspended, lifetime hunting ban under wildlife violator compact, forfeit items seized (two rifles, crossbow, several knives and drug paraphernalia), $1000 fine plus $750 restitution for the illegally harvested deer.

Mr. Plessingers criminal record shows a history of wildlife violations. He was convicted in 2003 in the Warren County Common Pleas Court for felonious assault of a peace officer. In that case, Mr. Plessinger was being investigated for shooting deer at night from an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), when he used his ATV to run over a wildlife officer. As part of Plessinger's sentence in 2003 Judge James Flannery ordered that Plessinger be "banned from hunting for life".

During the surveillance investigation in November of 2008 Plessinger was observed hunting with a .30/30 rifle and was charged with hunting deer with a rifle, hunting under revocation, hunting without permission, hunting without a hunting license, hunting without a deer permit, hunting without hunter orange, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia. During subsequent interviews it was discovered that Plessinger shot an 8 point buck and a doe during 2008. Plessinger was also charged with the illegal killing of the two deer. In addition a search warrant was obtained for Mr. Plessinger's Carlisle home where officers discovered numerous sets of untagged deer antlers. As a result of the search warrant Mr. Plessinger was also charged with six counts of possession of untagged deer antlers.

David Millar, 31, of Franklin, was charged in the Clinton County Municipal Court with hunting deer with a rifle, hunting deer without hunter orange, hunting without permission and taking deer with a rifle during the 2007-2008 deer season. On March 3, 2009 David Millar appeared with his attorney before Judge Chad Carey and as part of a plea agreement was sentenced to the following: 3 year hunting license revocation, 60 days jail suspended, $500 fine, forfeited a deer mount and was ordered to take a hunter safety course. Mr. Millar is a former police officer,

Zachary Hayden, 20, of Franklin, was charged in the Clinton County Municipal Court with hunting deer without a hunting license, hunting deer without a deer permit, hunting deer without hunter orange, and hunting without permission. On March 3, 2009 Zachary Hayden appeared with his attorney before Judge Chad Carey and as part of a plea agreement was sentenced to the following: 3 year hunting license revocation, 60 days jail suspended, $325 fine and was ordered to take a hunter safety course.

Calls to the TIP hotline have sparked many successful criminal investigations like this. The Division of Wildlife asks those who observe wildlife violations, to report those violations or illegal activity by calling the T.I.P. hotline at 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437).

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