Father/Son duo Larry and Shane Adams from Emo, Ontario Canada have been sentenced to pay $28,295 to the State of Montana as restitution for residency fraud. The pair owned a home in Miles City, MT and used the address there to swindle the legal residents of Montana out of right around $84,000 worth of animals including a Missouri Breaks bighorn ram and a mountain goat.
$84,000! That’s an awful lot of public assets illegally taken by men who are not even U.S. citizens. Oh, but they promised to obey the terms of the court while serving a five year forfeiture of their hunting privileges that is retroactive to 2014… that means that the father/son poaching duo will really only serve a one year suspension, or am I getting this wrong?
Either way the residents of Montana have been cheated and robbed of a resource that will not be able to be repaid or restored.
The only question that remains is what steps are states like Montana taking to deter this behavior? I still think that the penalties are not stringent enough but perhaps I’m wrong… what say you?
45 comments
Five years suspended hunting privileges is a joke. The severity of crime should have resulted in a lifetime ban for both of these pricks.
They should loose their hunting privileges for life to hunt in the US. They should have to pay 184,000!! The penalty’s are not strong enough. They should loose their hunting rights for life in the US, pay double or triple the 84000, because that’s just for the animals. That does not include the court costs fish and game costs, police so on. They should get all their guns taken away , truck, hunting rights, drivers license, huge fine 250,000!! Loose their right to come into the US!!! 🤬🤬🤬
Every time these atrocities occur, the majority is for steeper fines and harsher penalties
for future hunting rights. The state wildlife agencies across the US need to step up! This
has gone on for way too long in most states. Lifetime bans from hunting and huge monetary penalties are definitely punishments that fit the crime.
Considering if a US citizen made a mistake and payed complete restitution in the untied states and the country of Canada won’t even let them into the country let alone hunt even years after it happened. And the mistake wasn’t even a hunting related incident. Penalties are a little lopsided. However, I think we (US) tend to go on the light side hence all the problems we are having and lack of responsibility on all sides
Forfeiture of property and ability to buy US property in the future sounds about right to me!
A BIG +1 for this view!
This is stupid. They own property in Montana and pay property taxes there. They should be allowed to hunt in Montana as a resident.
Exactly, I think dual citizenship and residency is applicable……now if they weren’t doing it right shame on them. But it used to be if you lived in 2 states for equal time frames you could claim residence in either but had to stick to that one for that year. But based on the amount of animals harvested I’m curious how long were they doing this supposedly illegally and not caught?
Yea sure. Rich enough to own a home in each of the western states. Just buy a resident tag in each state. Baloney. There is no such thing as legal residency or domicile in more than one state at a time. These guys are thieves and liars. They should have a lien on their property until their debt to Montana is paid in full. They are criminals according to game laws in all western states. They should lose hunting privileges for life in Montana.
That’s ridiculous. Lol. Don’t be ticked off because they make more money than you. Fact of the matter is by them paying property taxes in Montana they contribute more to the infrastructure of that state than ~70% of your so called “residents” that pay no taxes at all year after year and are eligible to hunt in Montana as a resident. If anyone should be allowed to hunt there as a resident it is them.
Some of you guys are missing the point. Although you may have a good argument about making paying taxes the requirement for a resident license, the current law does not allow that. These guys broke the law and need to face the consequences.
I don’t Think anyone is missing the point. I think most of us western hunters know what the law states. Does that make the law right? Laws were made by men and are not always right or just. That’s a reason we have lawmakers and courts, to change those laws that might not make a lot of sense. I was just trying to start a dialogue to get people to think about this, but I appear to have angered a bunch of what I would deem “socialist” hunters. Lol
It appears to me that most of you probably can not get your minds away from the idea that not everybody lives their life the way lots of people do. Live in one state, work a menial job 8-5 with the office 2 miles from your home, come home to your wife and kids every night and yes spend 98%of your time in that state. Yeah we get it, these are the only people that should be allowed to hunt as a resident. Gimme a break.
I could totally see this type of thing happening to someone like me and the way the law sits now I would get the book thrown at me. I actually live in a state in the south with no draw. I don’t even hunt in my own state mind you. I own a small home, no wife, no kids. And I only spend about 8 weeks a year in my home. The other 10+ months I’m on the road checking on my dozens upon dozens of businesses that I have started all over the country. And opening up more businesses as well. I might spend 3 months in TX opening a business and then move to Georgia and rent an apartment for 6 months, open another business and train staff to run it but might leave in 3 months if they get it fast. Then I might take my fifth wheel to Oregon for 2 months and check on businesses there. In one year I could live in 4-5 different places but I always have my home in the south. Which is where I’m a “resident” mainly because It’s the only place I own property. And mind you, the federal gov sees it this way as well! So now let’s say I up and decided to sell my place in the south and buy a condo in Wyoming and only spend my 2 months a year there, instead of the south. Are you telling me that I shouldnt be allowed to hunt in Wyoming as a resident because I live my life differently than you?
Honestly, Yes I think I could make a case for being allowed to hunt as a resident in every state in which I own a business. Am I not contributing to the infrastructure of that state by creating a viable income producing business that pays taxes and creates jobs. But like I said before, if we look at the statistics ~70% of people in every state pay no taxes at all and honestly we all know as probably more right leaning conservative hunters, don’t contribute much at all, if anything to society and the betterment of our states and country. But some people have the audacity to tell me I shouldn’t be allowed to hunt as resident but these people should be able to and these people have the audacity to call themselves a conservative and probably a Christian and probably a capitalist hunter???? Gimme a break, if that’s the way one sees things they are a socialist through and through. And what’s even more disturbing is that these people don’t realize they are a socialist and understand nothing of capitalism!
In some countries when you come and break the law and are not a citizen its the death penalty. Just saying
Confiscate and sell their Mile City house as restitution, since it was used in the crime.
I have to agree with mike on this . They own the home and if they pay taxes then they should be considered residents of that state.
If they had dual citizenship an was a resident of Montana then I’d say ok but it sounds like they were not. Just because you pay taxes on a house you bought doesn’t make you a US citizen or resident. They should of got the book thrown at them.
I was going to say that Mike’s post was the stupidest thing I read in a long time, but suddenly…a new contender.
They do not meet the requirements of the State of Montana for residency.
Residency requirements vary from state to state. Bottom line is you have to be a “resident” to purchase a resident hunting license or tag. The assholes were Canadian residents and just happened to have deep pockets and a little vacation place in Montana. This was about making poor choices or think that they were smarter than the system.
Should be 5 year per animal
This is how our judicial system pisses me off! These clowns are just trying to poach legally. Not only have they received tags most of us wait a lifetime for. They take quality game out of the states limit. Sportsmen and women do our part to turn in poachers and assist Fish and Game with these kinds of people. Just to get in front of a judge who gives them a little slap on the hand. It’s a slap in the face to all of us and makes everyone else suffer because of it. I for one think that these people that knowingly and willfully disregard the law. Should pay fines that are so embarrassing large. They’ll feel the pain. Mandatory jail time, forfeiture of all hunting privileges and loss of property used to commit the crime.(truck, guns, gear,etc.) Every year our tags are marked up. Or some new assessment added. Time for these criminals to start picking up the tab!
People are not just doing this in Montana! You can only and should only be a resident of one state or country. If not people will be buying up property in every state just to say they were a resident.
https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2018/01/23/mgk-arizona-hunting-guide-pays-over-30000-loses-hunting-privileges-for-illegally-taking-trophy-bighorn/#.XWdCeSRMGEc
True.true. I’m seeing it happen everwhere
As far as I’m concerned this is poaching across an international border, maybe these guys should get locked up in a cage in El Paso.
How in the world did it take montana that long to figure this out? They drew a resident sheep and goat tag? There canadian residents! Im more pissed at montana fish and game,and law enforcement. What a disgrace.
Im Canadian, and these two Scum bags should have received jail time, and be suspended from entering the US for life, like any other criminal is.
Im an Albertan, we border Montana and are Westerners and close with our neighbours to the South. Dont let those two Eastern Liberals ruin your opinion of us Westerners!
They committed a crime and they are paying the price for it. I hate poachers and cheaters as much as anyone, but the real crime is going to be crying for tougher penalties and more regulations!!!! Be careful for what you ask for.
interesting responses – some seem to overlook the definition of residence is that you reside there, not own property there. They broke the law, they knew they were breaking the law, they are criminals and should be treated as such, no matter how much money they make.
Exactly what I was thinking. Owning property doesn’t make you a resident. Even if you do move to the state, you have to actually RESIDE there for a period of time before being considered a resident. What seems just as crazy is that I’ve recently read articles on Montana not fining this much for poaching cases. Personally, I think both cases should have extremely steep fines. Also…why would the courts make the punishment retroactive (if that was indeed how it happened)???
Get a DUI and try to go to Canada.
Oh, the social outrage. There is always more to the story. A lot of un answered questions. What time/date of discovery? probably the rational for the 5 years going reto to 2014. Those Breaks sheep tags, seems like the state would be checking ancestry.com and your DNA before giving you a tag. As stated above ‘Why wasn’t some thing done about it sooner? A discovery/research problem? looks like they have been hunting for years.
What was the documented time spent in each area? did they meet resident requirement, other than owning a home/property, drivers license? vehicle registration? they were probably paying bills if they owned a home. Did you live in MT for 6 months or a year to establish residency? I guess where are they voting and are they using the Canadian health care system, where they hunting in Ontario as residents? If they said they were MT residents wouldn’t Ontario want to prosecute them.
So, I want to hunt in ID (my wife says go ahead, she is not moving there), I establish residency, house, reg. to vote, ID drivers license, ID vehicle registration, spend 6 months there and spend the majority of my time there. I am a ID resident. Substitute 6 months for 12 months to be a MT resident. Only come back to WA for conjugal visits/ birthdays. As long as I am not hunting as a resident in WA I am a ID resident.
LMAO!!! Man…I thought I was a committed hunter!
Why go back for visits? Can’t be that good
Sounds ok to me. Your old lady will likely divorce you and take everything.
Those guys suck for sure, but it really pisses me off to hear them talk about how we were cheated out of opportunities when they all allowed wolves to be introduced. How much is the wildlife that they’ve killed worth? Millions and millions i’d say by their estimates of what an animal is worth.
I own property in Alaska to get a resident tag you have to live there 12 consecutive months or face a $10,000 fine, I can’t even drive through Canada because I had a misdemeanor when I was a kid. They should not be allowed to come back
Tall tree, short rope…..done
I would need more information than what is provided to make a judgment. I know people with deep pockets that have overcome unbelievable odds in Montana drawing the best Sheep tag there and one of the best Desert Sheep tags in AZ as well. One did this the same year. I would be willing to speculate that winning the powerball lottery wouldn’t be much harder. I can’t prove anything but suspect foul play. Maybe more emphasis should be put on these miracles.
This shit is happening everywhere. The money is more important than the animals or the hunters who hunt them legally. Until hunters unite seriously and show the fish and game department you mean business. The system will continue as status quo. Bitch all yu want. Nobody is listening to us or cares
So… I was looking at this time-share in Nevada….:-)
As hunters we are to follow the game & fish laws that are passed by the state in which you want to hunt in. If not, you will pay the penalty! Hunting rights are not based on the amount of taxes you pay to the state. Get real and obey the laws!!!!
Canada will not even allow you in to the country if you have a DWI (no not me but I travel a lot and am aware) Ban them from hunting in the USA
If you are intentionally cheating the system or poaching then that should be a permanent loss of hunting privileges.
They were arrested and prosecuted for obtaining residental fraud. Weather they pay taxes of how much money they have is irrelevant. They question is did the punishment fit the crime? I would say not even close based on available information. As outdoorsman who spend time and money trying to preserve game animals we need to let our voices heard when crimes and punishment don’t match. Voting is important, let Law makers and judges know with your votes. Let the prosecuting attorney know, etc.
Outdoorsman turn in more poachers than any other segment of society does. We have a vested interest.
For flagrant cases I’m for lifetime bans and larger fines along with confiscating guns, vehicles etc used in committing their crimes.