Pictured above is Game & Fish employee, Lynn Jahnke, holding the white-tailed deer that was recovered and placed at the Sheridan Regional Game and Fish Office in Sheridan, WY. In 2000 the deer rack was stolen.

The photo above was collected during the investigation and shows the Sheridan man in the article below holding the same stolen white-tailed deer rack taken from Sheridan Game and Fish District Office.

A report from concerned citizens has resulted in a Sheridan man receiving fines for felony possession of stolen property, which included several items taken from the Sheridan Regional Game and Fish Office.

The 43-year-old Sheridan man pleaded guilty to felony possession of stolen property and was sentenced December 19 by Fourth District Judge John Brackley.

The man was fined $1057.50 for payment of a stolen white-tailed deer rack from the G&F Office and payment for the remainder of stolen G&F Visitor Center clothing items that were not recovered.

In addition, he paid $200 to the Victims Compensation Fund and was assessed $10 court costs. The man was sentenced to 1 - 3 years at the Wyoming State Penitentiary, which was suspended to 3 years supervised probation ending December 18, 2005.

G&F officers executed a search warrant on the man's residence based on probable cause in an ongoing wildlife case and discovered stolen merchandise. Evidence was transferred to the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Department and the Sheridan Police Department. The police interviewed several other Sheridan businesses that were being cleaned by the man’s business. Other business reported missing items in addition to those from G&F Office.

The man was arrested February 27 and released on $2,000 bond.

Through the wildlife investigation, several other charges have been filed. The man's 19-year-old son received six separate charges involving the poaching of five trophy-class deer. The man's 44-year-old wife was charged for transfer of license. Another 19-year-old man was charged and pleaded guilty to transferring his deer license to the man to tag an illegally taken deer. And a 25-year-old man was charged and pleaded guilty to a taxidermy violation relating to an illegally taken white-tailed deer involving father and son.

The son faces fines and restitution on the deer charges totaling up to $20,500, loss of hunting, fishing and trapping licenses for 25 years and /or imprisonment up to 3 1/2 years in the county jail.

Sheridan Region Wildlife Investigator Scott Adell says, "This investigation, initiated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, is just another factor providing evidence that people committing wildlife crimes are probably committing other crimes against the state of Wyoming. Cooperating law enforcement agencies along with assistance from concerned citizens can stop people from being victims of crime."

Adell also thanked Sheridan game wardens Terry Cram and Alan Osterland, other G&F employees, Sheridan County Sheriff’s Department, Sheridan Police Department and especially Sheridan County Prosecuting Attorney, Stu Healy and staff, for their assistance in the investigation.