there’s got to be a wanton waste charge in there too with the filets that were stuffed down the throat of those fish they brought to the weigh in
It will probably be like most crimes people get caught doing. They are charged with multiple different things and throw the smaller charges out and end up with a few bigger charges
you’re exactly right coletrain. might as well charge them with it though since there is more than enough adequate evidence for that infraction
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office is meeting with the Ohio Dept of Natural Resources on this case today. Apparently they are going to be charged with felony fraud. The amount of money related to this event is what makes it felony status in the state of Ohio. If you are a convicted felon, you lose a lot of privileges in daily life.
This story has erupted on the national news. I’ve seen it on the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, etc.
And as I previously stated, they will not be doing anything about past winnings because there is no evidence of fraud there. One of them has been caught poaching in the past in the state of Ohio too.
This story has erupted on the national news. I’ve seen it on the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, etc.
I was scrolling through youtube and CNN did a story on it as well. I didnt watch it however.
TMZ sports illustrated. Just about everyone. I saw the interview during there practice round for this event and the cockiness of them was something else. Ended by saying we just win and that’s what we do.
There is another recording of one of them (allegedly) talking to another fisherman about cheating on his wife with a fan and how he brought her back to the hotel.
The guys are real low life’s.
Ended by saying we just win and that’s what we do.
Watched that too! What pricks.
TMZ sports illustrated. Just about everyone. I saw the interview during there practice round for this event and the cockiness of them was something else. Ended by saying we just win and that’s what we do.
Here’s the interview. “I’m confident we’re gonna do well” 
There is a good podcast from the director of LEWT and the fall Brawl out there on you tube as well. 300k is well short of what they have actually won. Rumors are that it is north of million. The 300k is just from the last year and a half.
Director was doing the announcing thinking he had a close race for team of the year and was trying to hype it up for the crowd. When there bag was so grossly overweight he said he felt he had to do something. He new something wasn’t right. Guy probably has seen hundreds if not thousands of 5lb walleyes come across the scale just this year. He checked the fish and could feel the mass of the weights that’s when he decided to cut them open.
They were also caught cheating another time but it was swept under the rug for fear of the trail getting a bad rap.
Not sure if it was LEWT or another. To go on top of the failed polygraph in the fall brawl.
These are not the first or the last of guys that will cheat their way for their own EGO.
Anyone know how much they would have taken home from the tournament if they got away with first place? Here’s a list from a Ohio defense firm on fines and jail time for fraud, depending on the degree.
Fifth-degree felony
$1001-$7,499
6-12 months
$2,5000
Fourth-degree felony
$7,500-$149,999
6-18 months
$5,000
Third-degree felony
$150,000-$749,999
9-36 months
$10,000
Second-degree felony
$750,000-$1.499 million
2-8 years
$15,000
First-degree felony
$1.5 million or more
3-11 years
$20,000
Around 30k for the actual tournament. More for Team of the year.
I figured it wouldn’t, but it’s too bad it didn’t get past $150,000. A $5,000 fine and a jail sentence that’ll probably get pled down is too little for these POSs. Hopefully they stick them with at least a year, but I doubt it. I also wish more of their sponsors would publicly disown them, have any come forward yet?
Most of those names on their shirt are not actual sponsors. They are posers.
Here’s the interview. “I’m confident we’re gonna do well” <img
“Winners win.” Lol what a deuschbag
what I heard on radio today, each looking at $50,000 fine, federal frad charges to follow, I bet the IRS will involved too.
My son and I have fished, and won, several walleye tournies on Pool 4 . Money is one thing, but betraying your fishing peers and friends is another. BK can weigh in on this. How could you betray the likes of RRR, Ralph Dierks, and the other legends of the Mississippi River and Pool 4. Smaller stage, but same scenario. I couldn’t show my face in the local barbershop.
Would it surprise you to know that one has had more than one fishing violation to his name?
These guys got so high on themselves they thought they could take 4lb walleyes and claim them to be 7lbs in front of an audience of peers some friends probably but guys that literally fish just as much as they do if not more.
How could you hold up a pool 4 walleye in front of RRR etc, and claim it to be almost twice the weight?
These guys got so high on themselves they thought they could take 4lb <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes and claim them to be 7lbs in front of an audience of peers some friends probably but guys that literally fish just as much as they do if not more.
How could you hold up a pool 4 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye in front of RRR etc, and claim it to be almost twice the weight?
This makes it sound like this is the first time they did it. Maybe, but probably not.
How could the tourney directors and other tournament guys not do anything about this until this weekend?
If it was me, I’d sue the tourney directors. They were either in on it or too stupid to qualify as a head of a tourney by letting this go on for as long as it did.
How could the tourney directors and other tournament guys not do anything about this until this weekend?
If it was me, I’d sue the tourney directors. They were either in on it or too stupid to qualify as a head of a tourney by letting this go on for as long as it did.
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Wow. Did you watch their podcast interview? Make sure you call the directors and tell them you will be in charge of running everything from now on.
If it was me, I’d sue the tourney directors. They were either in on it or too stupid to qualify as a head of a tourney by letting this go on for as long as it did.
no you wouldn’t
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
These guys got so high on themselves they thought they could take 4lb <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes and claim them to be 7lbs in front of an audience of peers some friends probably but guys that literally fish just as much as they do if not more.How could you hold up a pool 4 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye in front of RRR etc, and claim it to be almost twice the weight?
This makes it sound like this is the first time they did it. Maybe, but probably not.
How could the tourney directors and other tournament guys not do anything about this until this weekend?
If it was me, I’d sue the tourney directors. They were either in on it or too stupid to qualify as a head of a tourney by letting this go on for as long as it did.
They did they made them take polygraph and voice stress tests. They passed. They put a cameraman in the boat for one tourney.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>stout93 wrote:</div>
If it was me, I’d sue the tourney directors. They were either in on it or too stupid to qualify as a head of a tourney by letting this go on for as long as it did.no you wouldn’t
You’re right, I probably wouldn’t because you can’t sue for stupidity..
They did they made them take polygraph and voice stress tests. They passed. They put a cameraman in the boat for one tourney.
Lie detector tests are not reliable. They should never have been used..
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Gitchi Gummi wrote:</div>
there’s got to be a wanton waste charge in there too with the filets that were stuffed down the throat of those fish they brought to the weigh inIt will probably be like most crimes people get caught doing. They are charged with multiple different things and throw the smaller charges out and end up with a few bigger charges
Unfortunately, now a days it the other way around.
DT
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
They did they made them take polygraph and voice stress tests. They passed. They put a cameraman in the boat for one tourney.
Lie detector tests are not reliable. They should never have been used..
Maybe maybe not but they are pretty common in fishing derbies and some tournaments. They failed one for the fall brawl so they did not collect that boat.
If they cheated before I am guessing it wasn’t as blatant as 8 lbs added to five fish.
Money is one thing, but betraying your fishing peers and friends is another. How could you betray the likes of RRR, Ralph Dierks,
^THAT! I was thinking about this the other day. How much would it take for me to cheat in a contest. Couldn’t come up with a number that would off set the humiliation from my friends in the fishing community or even my neighbors.
With this much publicity, these two guys need family for a suicide watch. And don’t anyone say that taking their own life is what they deserve. It’s not.
This makes it sound like this is the first time they did it.
As far as we know, this was the first time they did it.
I don’t think you fully understand the concept of proof or evidence. Simply pointing at their wins and weights from previous events and saying “guilty” isn’t going to cut it. Unless they admit to doing it in previous events (which would be idiotic on their part, and against advice from any lawyer), the only portion they are guilty of is the one where they got caught.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>stout93 wrote:</div>
This makes it sound like this is the first time they did it.As far as we know, this was the first time they did it.
I don’t think you fully understand the concept of proof or evidence. Simply pointing at their wins and weights from previous events and saying “guilty” isn’t going to cut it. Unless they admit to doing it in previous events (which would be idiotic on their part, and against advice from any lawyer), the only portion they are guilty of is the one where they got caught.
I understand there is no evidence to prove that out. I’m not as dumb as the tourney directors and participants that sat idly by and watched these clowns win tourney after tourney saying “Geez, my fish is the same 23 inches as theirs, but theirs consistently weighs a pound or more than mine does…they must be pretty good fisherman to always catch the heaviest fish..”
C’mon..stupidity at its finest..
I agree, it was very likely going on for a period of time prior to this event. The part that would be a red flag to me is the fact that they always kept their catch, and everyone else donated theirs. Why are they the only ones always keeping their fish? Well, now we know why. Maybe its time to change that rule on the LEWT. Donation will be mandatory going forward.
That’s not true. Others have kept their fish. Majority do donate but they were not the only ones.
They were also caught cheating before.
Fascinating situation really, I’m with grouse on this one, I hope these two get thru this with the most hope they can.
That’s also why I think it would be in their best interest to come clean on all of it. Find the light, realize what they did was wrong, confess to everything, and one day hopefully regain the trust of their community, one day. That will never happen if taken the easy legal way out. I get it, best not to to avoid further jail time and penalties but there’s more to life than that. This will follow them almost everywhere, what would it be worth to any of you here? Could you live like that, go to the same baitshops you did, same cafes, same bars, and people hate you, I couldn’t.
JMHO
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