A federal court in Madison, Wis., on Mar. 7, sentenced Adam L. Lawinger, former owner and operator of Blue Ribbon Outfitters in Blue River, Wis., to two years in prison and ordered him to pay $73,534 in restitution to the State of Wisconsin for guiding numerous illegal hunts for trophy white-tailed deer and wild turkey in Richland and Iowa Counties in southwest Wisconsin.

U.S. District Court Judge Barbara B. Crabb also ordered that Lawinger, 28, could not hunt, fish or guide during three years following his release from custody. As a convicted felon, Lawinger is also banned from possessing firearms.

Lawinger’s conviction is the result of a two year investigation of illegal deer and turkey hunting in southwest Wisconsin by Wardens of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Special Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The investigation also resulted in state and federal charges being filed against 46 hunters from 11 different states who, as Blue Ribbon Outfitter clients, participated in the illegal hunts.

In December, Lawinger pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell and transport wildlife valued greater than $350 (trophy white-tailed deer and wild turkeys) taken in violation of Wisconsin law; engaging in the sale and transportation of wildlife worth more than $350 (trophy white-tailed deer), knowing that the deer were taken in violation of Wisconsin law.  He also admitted to selling guided deer and turkey hunts to out of state hunters and, that in connection with these hunts, violated numerous Wisconsin laws including: knowingly permitting hunters to kill deer and turkeys without licenses; directing hunters not to kill female deer in "Earn-A-Buck" zones; repeatedly using female deer carcasses to register multiple buck deer killed by Blue Ribbon Outfitter hunters; baiting deer within the chronic wasting disease control zones; shining and shooting deer at night; and  allowing hunters to kill turkeys with a .22 rifle.

The commercialization of wildlife valued at more than $350 taken in violation of state law is a felony violation of the Lacey Act, a federal wildlife protection law. The law carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or $250,000 fine for each offense for individuals, $500,000 fine for organizations or businesses.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O'Shea.