Three men from Lakeland, Florida, have been convicted and sentenced in Union County following an Illinois Conservation Police investigation into serious wildlife violations involving the illegal harvest of multiple antlered White-Tailed Deer.
Union County State’s Attorney Tyler Tripp announced that the offenses occurred in November 2024, with the suspects using illegal methods to take wildlife at night.
Aaron Holmes, 30, pleaded guilty to seven violations of the Illinois Wildlife Code and was fined $11,697.
Parker Bell, 27, pleaded guilty to three violations and received $11,197 in fines.
Scott Adams, 30, pleaded guilty to four violations, totaling $6,597 in fines.
The combined fines of $29,491 include civil penalties for the unlawful harvest of White-Tailed Bucks. A portion of the fines will benefit the Illinois Conservation Police Operations Fund. The men also face 11½ years of hunting privilege revocation in 48 states through the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact.
According to Tripp, the three men traveled to Illinois with a semi-automatic rifle outfitted with a night vision scope and an infrared spotlight. They allegedly spent several nights locating and shooting deer from their vehicle before loading the carcasses into a rental truck.
A late-night search warrant executed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police led to the seizure of three illegally taken White-Tailed Bucks and the firearms used in the crimes.
Tripp commended the Illinois Conservation Police for their thorough investigation and emphasized the state’s commitment to protecting its natural resources and enforcing wildlife laws.
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