The state Game Commission last week reported on its Southwest Region Facebook page that eight people, one of them from Indiana County, have been fined and had their hunting privileges revoked for at least four years each for an illegal poaching operation in the Northern Cambria area.
The investigation began in March of 2024 when state game warden Mason Frumkin conducted a fishing license check on one of the suspects in Indiana County and discovered firearms and ammunition inside a vehicle. The defendant admitted to shooting deer at night while using a spotlight. Eventually, eight suspects were identified and accused of spotlighting and shooting deer, failure to tag deer, taking bucks that did not meet antler restrictions, using tags from other states, and exceeding the legal limit. All eight pleaded guilty to summary violations regarding the unlawful taking of game or wildlife or unlawful taking of big game during a closed season.
The defendants and their pleas:
- Jason Wise, 47, of Marsteller, pleaded guilty to seven summary counts and was fined $6,327. His license has been revoked for 10 years.
- Sandra Wise, 54, of Marsteller, pleaded to two summary counts, was fined $1,202 and had her license revoked for four years.
- Daniel Wise, 39, of Marsteller, pleaded to two summary counts, was fined $2,142 and had his license revoked for six years.
- Issac Keith, 23, of Penn Run, pleaded to four summary counts, was fined $4,222 and had his license revoked for 10 years.
- Dan Sodmont, 28, of Marsteller, pleaded to six summary counts, was fined $6,303 and had his license revoked for 10 years.
- Marina Morgan, 27, of Northern Cambria, pleaded to six summary counts, was fined $6,303 and had her license revoked for 10 years.
- Dennis Corson, 47, of Northern Cambria, pleaded to four summary counts, was fined $4,222 and had his license revoked for 10 years.
- Levi Corson, 21, of Northern Cambria, pleaded guilty to four summary counts, was fined $4,222 and had his license revoked for 10 years.
In total, the defendants were ordered to pay $35,047 and lost their hunting and trapping privileges for a combined 70 years.
To report wildlife crimes, call the Operation Game Thief’s toll-free hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001 or report it online at https://bit.ly/3Pgwwhf.
(Source: Pennsylvania Game Commission)
