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Idaho Fish and Game

Game Case Ends in Federal Court

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What began as a poaching case has cost a Florida man $15,000 as well as his hunting privileges. Juan Francisco Gonzales, 37, of Winter Garden has pleaded guilty before Chief Federal Magistrate Larry M. Boyle to charges of killing deer and elk illegally in Idaho and transporting them to Florida. The violations began with Gonzales holding a resident Idaho license. It became a federal case when he transported illegally taken game animals across state lines, back to his home in Florida. Gonzales was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000, pay restitution to Idaho of $5,000, not hunt anywhere in the world for three years, serve 30 days home detention and three years probation. He admitted killing a buck mule deer and bull elk in 1996 and a raghorn bull in 1998 without a nonresident license. The investigation into his activities began after he was identified as having killed a mountain lion in 1999 without a lion tag. Two other defendants in the case have been charged in state court with violations of Idaho game laws. One has pleaded guilty and the other case is still pending. U.S. Attorney Betty Richardson commended the joint investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Idaho Fish and Game.