COLUMBUS — A Harrison County deer processor pleaded guilty to charges related to unlawfully selling donated venison that was meant to go to local food pantries, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
During the investigation, dubbed Operation Donor Deer, the Division of Wildlife’s law enforcement officers and investigators discovered numerous wildlife violations by Rodney Shields, 59, of Harrisville, the owner of Rod’s Custom Deer Processing. Violations included the unlawful sale of venison, much of which came from checked deer that were donated and meant to go to local food pantries.
The case resulted in 35 individuals being convicted of a total of 55 violations.
Shields pleaded guilty to seven charges in Harrison County Common Pleas Court. He was ordered to pay $16,500 in restitution, to be divided among victims whose venison was stolen and sold and ODNR Division of Wildlife. Shields also received 17 months of suspended jail time and two years of community control. Shields pleaded guilty to felony counts of obstructing justice, theft by deception and illegal sales, as well as three misdemeanor charges for theft and one for possession of untagged deer.
Among the other defendants in the case were Robert Sliva, 66, of Harrisville, and Thomas Bibeau, 53, of Deerfield, New Hampshire. Sliva pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for illegal sale of wild animals, failure to keep accurate records and possession of untagged deer parts. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine as well as court costs, complete one year of probation, and serve 30 days in jail, suspended. Bibeau pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for failing to properly complete the game check process. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and court costs, complete one year of probation, forfeit his hunting license for one year, and serve 60 days in jail, suspended.
Defendants received a total of $6,313 in fines, eight years of hunting license suspensions and 24 months of suspended jail time.
Anyone who witnesses a wildlife violation in Ohio can call the Turn in a Poacher hotline at 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437). Reports are kept anonymous. Information that results in a conviction of a wildlife crime may result in a reward.
