Perfectly said Jayme. It's not that they shouldn't have repercussions, but cheating in a fishing tournament turns in to a multitude of felonies and taking your personal property before charges were filed, is ok? The potential of loosing your Right to bear arms, to vote, over cheating and so many are ok with it, speaks volumes of where we are at!!

I don't think anyone doubts these two maggots cheated in prior tournaments but I wonder how it will be proven

And no theft , only attempted theft on this last tournament

Will they get all their stuff back ?

That worries me. Penalties aside, stealing is stealing. Whether by theft in the middle of the night or by fraud/cheating in broad daylight....it is still stealing.

I also don't think the guy who robbed the 7-11 for 300 dollars at gun point should be getting a few months of time served.


I think charge them with everything you can prove they took by fraud , prove it in court

do we need to house them in jail or prison , no probably not. they seem to be a lot less of a danger than half of the people Milwaukee turns loose on a less than 10% of time served for violent crimes.


there are a lot of things being over prosecuted these days , this hasn't gone to trial so far it is just charges and not a conviction there are also a lot of crimes being under punished



we had a church secretary that took a bunch of money from the church she did a year in jail , 2 years probation and paid most of it back.
the bulk of what she stole was signing herself and family up for full family plan medical when she was a part time 20 hour a week employee not eligible.

My elderly aunt had 6 figures stolen from her through deception, law enforcement didn't do anything. Local pool guy here stole well over a million and the state attorney General did absolutely nothing until the news got the story.

Rules made by a organization isn't law and there is a difference legally. Breaking agreed to rules such as tournament rules in this case is fraud stealing 30 thousand from someone's house is breaking the law. Different situation from a legal stand point. Unless the they broke laws law enforcement shouldn't get involved it's civil case between parties

Not following all of this thread or related news; but, my thoughts ... Fraud is a felony. Did they commit theft, probably not in this tournament as they were caught before being successful with theft. But it appears a fraud was committed when additional weight was inserted into the submitted fish for weigh-in. So yes, a felony charge of fraud > confiscate the boat, trailer, haul vehicle, fishing equipment, etc. as part of evidence. If the state can't prove their case, it is all returned. If found guilty, > all confiscated, in addition to all other limits imposed on felons > loss on freedom (jail), loss of firearms access, voting rights ...

Yes yes sir lol. If they didn't break any laws while fishing on Erie, such as undersize or over limit, the DNR shouldn't have been not only involved but should not have stole their boat and trailer. They didn't receive any monies. Can't believe so many are ok with taking away gun and voting rights for cheating on fishing.

And also they poached fish at some point that day because there where walleye fillets in the fish with the weights

No difference in those two scum bags and Bernie Madoff. They all deceived people to make money!

Go to Vegas and cheat a Casino out of 30G's and see what happens!

Yea eaven if you don't cash in the chips

What happens?

I guess in the end, a judge or jury of peers will have to decide if a crime was committed....only time will tell. It will be an interesting case to follow.

If an athlete making millions of dollars a year is caught cheating by using illegal performance enhancing drugs should the FBI investigate them? Fraud is fraud right boys... I mean millions of dollars are at hand not 30 thousand. Think of the other players they cheated out of a job by fraud. Fraud is fraud is fraud

There boat was taken after a grand jury indicted them on charges of cheating and attempted grand theft. If convicted of a felony they will loose there right to own guns and vote. the case starts the end of this month. If found not guilty they are made hole. They could also plea charges down.

The state may try to get one of them to testify against the other and reduce that guy's charges.

I personally hope they make an example of them. Maybe others who are doing similar things or are considering doing similar things will think twice before they do it.

Most states have laws regarding games of chance or games of skill where material goods or prizes are awarded. These cover things like bingo or golf tournaments. A fishing tournament qualifies. Most of these laws require following the rules and attempts to fraudulently win is a crime.

You've got to separate the facts from the thought of fishing is fun.

What if this was a PGA event or Nascar?

At best you're banned from Vegas, all of it. Other end of the scale, you end up getting dug by 'yote's!

Big Bob, exactly, handled in house. Warrior no. It's not about separating facts from fun as you say. It's about cheating while fishing can cost you a lifetime sentence of no guns and no voting.

Rex, no. They took the boat before charges, look it up.