JACKSON, Tenn. — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement have joined forces to launch an investigation into violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
Operation "Bird Dog" has resulted in multiple guilty pleas for hunting guideline violations.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced some guilty pleas on Monday.
Hunter Rainwaters, 20; Cody Brown, 20; Peyton Mayberry, 20; and Jay Maiden, 20, committed violations involving the illegal placement of bait to attract waterfowl and taking or attempting to take waterfowl over a baited area.
The land that the defendants illegally baited is a TWRA owned and managed Wildlife Management Area in Benton County.
A portion of the Wildlife Management Area had to be closed down, resulting in a loss of hunting opportunity for others in the affected area for the first 10 days of the 2017-2018 waterfowl hunting season.
On Sept. 23, 2019, U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Jon A. York sentenced Rainwaters to loss of hunting privileges for two years with $1,000 fine.
Mayberry, Brown and Maiden were each sentenced to loss of hunting privileges for one year with a $1,000 fine.
Other defendants cited in the case paid a total of $17,680 in fines.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a full-service federal prosecution office, and we have the ability and intention to charge any violations of federal law, no matter where they occur in the Western District of Tennessee," U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said.
"These prosecutions demonstrate our commitment to upholding the rule of law, and to pursuing any cases that harm and impact our rural communities. We commend the TWRA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on this successful operation, and appreciate our partnerships with them."
