(WJW)- Five men from Mississippi have been ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution and have also received a temporary worldwide hunting ban after being accused of poaching white-tailed deer.<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the crime spree took place over four years in southern Illinois.<\/p>\n
The men are accused of using spotlights to scout deer, then shooting to kill, and later returning to collect the carcass.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was not an isolated incident of unlawful hunting; rather, it was a calculated, multi-year operation that exploited Illinois\u2019s prized wildlife resources for personal gain,\u201d said Assistant Director Douglas Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement in a press release.<\/p>\n
\u201cTargeting trophy deer under the cover of night, across multiple counties, and transporting them across state lines reflects a deliberate disregard for wildlife laws and the ecological balance we work tirelessly to protect.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to a press release, all five defendants received a world-wide hunting ban for the length of their probations. Further sentencing details are below:<\/p>\n