NLIS 2
April 2, 2002
(Forest Resources and Agrifoods)

 

Major undercover operation results in convictions

A Port aux Choix man was recently found guilty of several charges under the Wildlife Act, which were laid as a result of a major undercover operation by the compliance division of the Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods.

Judge Wayne Gorman handed down his decision concerning eight outstanding charges against Stephen Spence in Provincial Court in Corner Brook on March 28. Mr. Spence was found guilty of six of the charges, including hunting moose on a Sunday, hunting while employed as a guide, hunting caribou without a valid licence, and illegal possession of moose. Mr. Spence was acquitted of two other wildlife charges. He will be sentenced for the wildlife infractions on June 21, 2002.

Mr. Spence had earlier entered guilty pleas to a number of other charges including illegal possession of a firearm, hunting black bear without a licence, shooting at a female bear with cubs, hunting black bear on Sunday, while being a guide did accompany an unlicenced hunter, illegal possession of caribou, fishing using a net, transporting passengers and goods in an aircraft without an air operation certificate and a valid licence. In total, Mr. Spence has been convicted of 17 charges.

Sentencing for charges under the Fisheries Act and the Aeronautics Act resulted in fines of $1,500 under each offence, totaling $6,000.

The charges against Mr. Spence resulted from an undercover operation in 2000 initiated by conservation officers with the Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods with support from undercover operators from Ontario. Mr. Spence sold his resident licence to an undercover conservation officer from Ontario and subsequently transported two officers in his Cessna 180 aircraft to a remote location on the Long Range Mountains where the offences for which Mr. Spence has been convicted took place.

Minister Rick Woodford said he is pleased that the department�s undercover investigation has resulted in successful convictions.

"The outcome of this undercover investigation is another example of government�s effective enforcement efforts and our commitment to high quality enforcement of the laws that protect our wildlife and other natural resources," said Mr. Woodford. "I also want to commend our conservation officers for their continued hard work and especially for their efforts in this undercover operation."

Five other individuals and a company from Port aux Choix were also charged as a result of the department�s undercover investigation. Leon Billard has plead guilty to 15 charges, such as hunting black bear without a licence, illegal possession of a rifle, guiding without a valid licence, killing caribou without a valid licence, intentionally allowing caribou meat to spoil, illegal possession of moose, transporting a loaded firearm in a vehicle, unsafe storage of a firearm, fishing using a net and angling during closed season. Mr. Billard is scheduled to be sentenced April 26 , 2002.

Mario Ploughman was convicted in early March of angling in a scheduled salmon river with other than an artificial fly, angling in a scheduled salmon river during closed time, fishing while employed as a guide, and as a licenced guide failing to report an offence. Mr. Ploughman is scheduled to be sentenced in early April 2002.

Shawn Spence plead guilty earlier this year to a charge of applying for the province�s big game draw while residing in British Columbia. He was given a $200 fine. Meanwhile, two other individuals and a company from Port aux Choix are scheduled to go to trial on April 17 and 18, 2002 for alleged offences resulting from the undercover investigation.

Media contact:


Sonia B. Glover, (709) 729-6183
Jim Maloney, Regional Compliance Manager, 637-2918 or 632-0198

 

2002 04 02                   12:40 p.m.


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