# Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Duck Hunting Violations



## anon12162011 (Jun 9, 2009)

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/June/11-enrd-837.html

*Department of Justice*
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 23, 2011


Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Duck Hunting Violations

WASHINGTON  Professional duck hunter and guide Jeffrey B. Foiles pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield, Ill., to wildlife charges arising from the illegal sale of guided waterfowl hunts, the Department of Justices Environment and Natural Resources Division announced today. 

Foiles, 54, of Pleasant Hill, Ill., pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one misdemeanor count of unlawful sale of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act, as well as one misdemeanor count of unlawfully taking migratory game birds in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. At the same time, the company that operates Foiles hunting club, the Fallin Skies Strait Meat Duck Club LLC, located in Pike County, Ill., pleaded guilty to an information charging it with one felony count of unlawful sale of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and one felony count of making false writings in a matter within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Lacey Act is a federal law that makes it illegal to knowingly transport or sell wildlife taken in violation of federal law or regulation. The act defines the sale of wildlife to include the sale of guiding services for the illegal taking of wildlife.

According to the plea agreements filed today, between 2003 and 2007, Foiles sold and guided waterfowl hunts at the club for the purpose of illegally hunting ducks and geese in excess of hunters individual daily bag limits. Guided hunters paid $250 per day for hunts at the club. Foiles and others at the club also falsified hunting records in order to conceal the excesses.

According to the plea agreements filed today, the government and the defendants have jointly asked the court to sentence Foiles to 13 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release during which time he may not hunt or guide hunters, and to pay a $100,000 fine for which Fallin Skies Strait Meat Duck Club LLC agreed to serve as guarantor. Further, Foiles agreed to one additional year, following completion of his term of supervised release, during which he will not hunt or guide. 

The court must determine whether or not to accept the plea agreements. If the plea agreements are accepted by the court, the government has agreed to dismiss the pending felony indictment against Foiles.

The sentencing hearing for Foiles is currently set for Sept. 21, 2011, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Byron G. Cudmore. The sentencing hearing for Fallin Skies Strait Meat Duck Club LLC is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Richard Mills. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the government of Canada. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of Illinois and the Justice Departments Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division.

11-837
Environment and Natural Resources Division


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

sounds like he agreed to a high fine and some jail time to get it behind him as soon as possible. probably smart move...draggin it out won't make it any better.


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## jimmyo17 (Jun 7, 2011)

thats crazy he better be happy they dropped that felony or else he wouldnt be able to ever hunt again


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## field-n-feathers (Oct 20, 2008)

BigR said:


> ....... and to pay a $100,000 fine for which Fallin Skies Strait Meat Duck Club LLC agreed to serve as guarantor.


In a case like this couldn't Fallin' Skies Duck Club just claim bankruptcy and not pay any of the fine? If that's the case......he get's off pretty easy if you ask me. What a douche bag.


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## Ruger-44 (Apr 2, 2009)

field-n-feathers said:


> In a case like this couldn't Fallin' Skies Duck Club just claim bankruptcy and not pay any of the fine? If that's the case......he get's off pretty easy if you ask me. What a douche bag.


They shouldn't be able to. There are exceptions to bankruptcy and I believe the fines for a felony are one of the things that cannot be discharged.

As for the sentence, it's pretty light in my opinion. It should be at least a 10 year hunting ban. People have gotten a lot longer ban for one elk out west.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Yeah I would've hoped for a longer ban myself. Then again you can ban him all day, and one of his buds from the club will do the actual guiding, and he'll be behind the scenes. Kinda sad to think the guy will be back in the field in a couple years. 

Then again, I hope he meets up with a boyfriend in the Pen that shows him the real meaning of the term "straight meat" :evilsmile


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

just ducky said:


> Yeah I would've hoped for a longer ban myself. Then again you can ban him all day, and one of his buds from the club will do the actual guiding, and he'll be behind the scenes. Kinda sad to think the guy will be back in the field in a couple years.
> 
> Then again, I hope he meets up with a boyfriend in the Pen that shows him the real meaning of the term "straight meat" :evilsmile


sold the club. at least it was on the market last fall. i'm wondering if hes gonna try to keep his other business's goin...he was quite entrenched in the industry. I'm pretty sure that 100k will be paid pretty easily. To me it looks like he took the fastest way out so he can get back to hunting. 100k, 1 year of jail and 2-3 years non-hunting.

compare that to the guy in vassar with 9 untagged hanging bucks in his garage. he got $6k and 14 days of jail and 1yr without a license. now thats a soft sentence.


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## jimmyo17 (Jun 7, 2011)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> sold the club. at least it was on the market last fall. i'm wondering if hes gonna try to keep his other business's goin...he was quite entrenched in the industry. I'm pretty sure that 100k will be paid pretty easily. To me it looks like he took the fastest way out so he can get back to hunting. 100k, 1 year of jail and 2-3 years non-hunting.
> 
> compare that to the guy in vassar with 9 untagged hanging bucks in his garage. he got $6k and 14 days of jail and 1yr without a license. now thats a soft sentence.


 theres no way the guy in vassar only got one year without a hunting licience its an automatic 3 years revocation of hunting priveleges its right in the book


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## quackersmacker13 (Dec 9, 2009)

just ducky said:


> Then again, I hope he meets up with a boyfriend in the Pen that shows him the real meaning of the term "straight meat" :evilsmile


its really gonna get bad for him when they find out hes good at the spit note :evilsmile


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## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

quackersmacker13 said:


> its really gonna get bad for him when they find out hes good at the spit note :evilsmile


Don't forget the double cluck, the feeding chuckle and the HighBALL! :lol::evilsmile


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## foxriver6 (Oct 23, 2007)

The business gets the felony.

He agrees to a year incarceration with a misdemeanor conviction.

With that agreement, if the article is correct, he keeps his 2nd Amendment rights.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> compare that to the guy in vassar with 9 untagged hanging bucks in his garage. he got $6k and 14 days of jail and 1yr without a license. now thats a soft sentence.


Michigan courts have been notoriously lenient on fish/game violations over the years. 

Still think this guy should've gotten more, but you're right...sounds like he had a good advisor, and plead to take the easiest way out.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

here's the news release.



> John D. Cooper will be granted work-release privileges while serving 15-day sentence, must pay $6,552 in fines after pleading guilty to nine misdemeanors of illegally taking deer. He denies shooting the animals.


and yeah he lost 3 yrs of licenses. still weak sentence. he got work release 15 days.


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

I guess I don't understand the point of a plea deal when you have a 100% rock solid case against the guy. Why waste all of that money and time investigating this and catch him red handed just to let him off with a misdemeanor?


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## quackersmacker13 (Dec 9, 2009)

Ieatantlers said:


> I guess I don't understand the point of a plea deal when you have a 100% rock solid case against the guy. Why waste all of that money and time investigating this and catch him red handed just to let him off with a misdemeanor?


I dont believe they have accepted the plea yet...


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

quackersmacker13 said:


> I dont believe they have accepted the plea yet...


"They" meaning the Judge has not accepted the plea agreed to by the DA and defendent.

IMO, easy to think he should get more jail time, or the guy killing deer should get more jail time, but you have to realize that in most cases that results in the loss of the persons employment, hence their ability to feed their family. 

I'll get reamed for this, but I think most game violations do not warrant time behind bars and the impact that brings. Fine the hell out of them, take away their hunting rights for years.


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## LumberJ (Mar 9, 2009)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> here's the news release.
> 
> 
> > John D. Cooper will be granted work-release privileges while serving 15-day sentence, must pay $6,552 in fines after pleading guilty to nine misdemeanors of illegally taking deer. He denies shooting the animals.
> ...


I think (and hope in this case) fines are listed separate from restitution. As I understand it, there is a $1000 restitution for each deer on top of the fines


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

TSS Caddis said:


> I'll get reamed for this, but I think most game violations do not warrant time behind bars and the impact that brings. Fine the hell out of them, take away their hunting rights for years.


I def. agree with you, but he can serve the same jail time by pleading to a felony- but with a felony he would lose his ability to own a gun. I think that is pretty fair in this case. A guy who made a ton of money by using a gun illegally, should lose his right to own a gun.


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## soccer_man48420 (Nov 14, 2010)

In the case of the guy from Michigan, he shot those deer, didn't tag them, what makes you think he'll even abide by the hunting ban for a year... Obviously he didn't care about the law then and why would he now. He got offe easy... If they charged either with a felony at least it would make it more difficult for either one to take game
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## quackersmacker13 (Dec 9, 2009)

Ieatantlers said:


> I def. agree with you, but he can serve the same jail time by pleading to a felony- but with a felony he would lose his ability to own a gun. I think that is pretty fair in this case. A guy who made a ton of money by using a gun illegally, should lose his right to own a gun.


X2, he shouldnt be able to own a gun IMO


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