Judge Fines 3 Powell Men $17,000 In Deer Poaching

POWELL, Wyo. (AP) — A judge has ordered three men to pay a combined $17,000 in fines and restitution for poaching seven mule deer off the Chief Joseph Highway north of Cody in 2009.

The Associated Press reports  that Circuit Judge Bruce Waters of Cody accepted plea agreements between the Park County Attorney's Office and the three men.

The men are 26-year-old Thomas G. Howard; 30-year-old Douglas Hutchins and 26-year-old Cody Waters, no relation to the judge.

In addition to imposing the fines and restitution, Judge Waters placed the three on unsupervised probation and banned them from hunting or fishing for the next six years.

Court records state that the three men admitted killing the deer after being confronted by Powell Game Warden Chris Queen in 2010.