Pendleton Teen to Pay $50,000 Fine for Poaching-Related Convictions

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A Pendleton teen lost his hunting privileges for life and was ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to a number of poaching-related charges on Monday. (Photo: OSP)

An 18-year-old Pendleton man was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to a slew of poaching-related charges on Monday.

Joseph Reide St. Pierre was arrested back in January after a lengthy investigation and charged with numerous counts relating to poaching. In September of 2017 an Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife trooper received information about alleged illegal hunting activities. As the investigation progressed, the primary suspect was identified as St. Pierre, who was alleged to be illegally hunting, taking, and wasting wildlife on both public and private properties in Umatilla County.

Information obtained during the investigation alleged that St. Pierre was involved in the unlawful taking of wildlife as far back as the fall of 2016, to include a large mule deer buck, three large whitetail bucks, and two antlerless elk.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty to unlawful taking of a trophy whitetail buck, trespass with a firearm, unlawful taking of a trophy whitetail buck, two counts of unlawful taking of a cow elk, exceeding annual bag limit, unlawful taking of a mule deer buck, hunting upon cultivated lands of another, unlawful taking of trophy mule deer buck, two counts of assisting or aiding another in the taking of a buck deer, unlawful taking of a trophy bull elk, unlawful taking of a whitetail buck, unlawful taking of mule deer doe, and five counts of wasting a game mammal.

In addition to jail time and restitution, St. Pierre was also sentenced to five years of probation, a lifetime hunting suspension, and a $500 compensatory fine to be paid to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Youth Day Event.

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