At least 20 individuals from the Toledo area are among a group of defendants that could eventually include more than 40 people in 10 counties who were nabbed as part of a long-term investigation called Operation North Coast. Many aspects of the investigation are still ongoing.
Last week, state wildlife officers from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife arrested Robert Mandon Freeworth, 36, of Grand Rapids, Ohio. He was indicted by a Wood County grand jury on nine felony and seven misdemeanor counts.
The felony counts facing Freeworth include the sales of wildlife, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, having weapons under disability, three counts of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, two counts of tampering with records, and the aggravated possession of drugs. Freeworth is charged with misdemeanors for allegedly jacklighting for deer, using weapons while intoxicated on two occasions, hunting without permission of the landowner, and three additional wildlife violations.
If he is convicted on the charges, Freeworth will face possible incarceration, along with significant fines, financial restitution for the wildlife involved, community control sanctions, the reimbursement of the costs of the investigation and the forfeiture of firearms and a vehicle. The felonies could result in the court imposing maximum penalties of up to a year in prison and $2,500 fines in each case, while the misdemeanors could result in jail time from 30-180 days and fines from $250 to $1,000.
There could also be substantial penalties for any trophy-class white-tailed deer that were taken by any of the individuals charged in the case, since the Ohio Revised Code now calls for determining the dollar value of such deer by measuring the antlers and using a formula to consider the value the general public derives from wildlife. In a 2011 case, a Logan County man was required to pay $23,816.59 in restitution for illegally taking a trophy buck.
The initial sweep in the Operation North Coast case resulted in the seizure of more than 100 deer trophy mounts, firearms, “thousands of pounds” of venison, antlers, fish, at least one vehicle, as well as deer tags and cell phones.
The charges against Freeworth, and the many other defendants, were the result of an investigation that focused on a wide corridor of northern Ohio along Lake Erie and involved more than 45 law enforcement officers, the extensive execution of search warrants, the seizure of game and equipment, and interviews with more than three dozen suspects and other individuals. A wide sweep conducted in March hit locations from the Cleveland area to Grand Rapids with search warrants and resulted in the seizure of more than 100 deer trophy mounts, firearms, venison, antlers, fish, and at least one vehicle.
Many of those charged in the case are from Wood County. “The indictment demonstrates the seriousness of wildlife crimes and commercialization that was taking place in the Wood County area,” said Ken Fitz, law enforcement administrator for the Division of Wildlife. The Wood County prosecutor’s office has been collaborating with state wildlife investigators on the wide-reaching case.
“The investigation was well executed and prepared, which is a testament to the ODNR investigative unit in making sure rules and regulations are followed by all,” said Gwen Howe-Gebers, assistant prosecuting attorney in Wood County. “The cases demonstrate that those who hunt illegally need to be held accountable for their actions.”
Also charged in the case is Robert V. Freeworth, 59, of Grand Rapids, Ohio, with two counts of aiding another in a wildlife violation. He is the father of Robert Mandon Freeworth.
Both have shown a disregard for wildlife laws over the years. They both have prior wildlife violation arrests: Robert Mandon Freeworth for an overlimit on yellow perch in October, 2015, and for trapping muskrats in a closed season in 1997; and Robert V. Freeworth for hunting/taking/shooting deer from a roadway or motor vehicle in December, 2000.
Thus far, including Freeworth, 28 people have been charged in the Operation North Coast investigation.
Wood County residents who have been charged, or those charged in Wood County, include:
• Ronnie Borders, 34, Weston: deer check-in violation (in Bowling Green Municipal Court).
• Rick Bruielly, 66, Weston: Fail to keep and maintain proper taxidermy records. (This case, in Bowling Green Municipal Court, resulted in a $100 fine and $145 in court costs).
• Robert V. Freeworth, 59, Grand Rapids: two counts of aiding another in a wildlife violation (one count in Napoleon Municipal Court which has been finished, resulting in a $500 fine, plus an additional $156 in court costs, as well as a three-year hunting and fishing license suspension. The other count in Wood County is pending, according to the release).
• Rodney Hall, 44, Bowling Green: purchase wild animal or part thereof (Bowling Green Municipal Court).
• Dawn Large, 42, Grand Rapids: no hunting license, hunting without permission (Bowling Green Municipal Court); hunting deer with aid of motor vehicle, shooting from or across a roadway, possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Napoleon Municipal Court).
• Shawn Matthews, 34, Grand Rapids: purchase wild animal or part thereof (Bowling Green Municipal Court).
• Robert Parker Jr, 64, Portage: purchase wild animal or part thereof (Bowling Green Municipal Court).
• Jo Sears, 62, Bowling Green: purchase wild animal or part thereof (Bowling Green Municipal Court).
• William Seyfried, 70, Gibsonburg: purchase wild animal or part thereof (Bowling Green Municipal Court).
• Jarod Sinning, 39, Bowling Green: two counts of purchase wild animal or part thereof (Bowling Green Municipal Court).
Full Name: Robert Mandon Freeworth
Date: 08/04/2016
Arrest Age: 36
Gender: Male
Charges:
#1 TAMPERING W/ RECORDS - FALSIFY, DESTROY, REMOVE
#2 TAMPERING W/ RECORDS - FALSIFY, DESTROY, REMOVE
#3 DRUG ABUSE - POSSESSION OF COCAINE
#4 IMPROPERLY DISCHARGING FIREARM OCCUPIED STRU
#5 HAVING WEAPONS WHILE UNDER DISABILITY - DRUG RELATED CONVI
#6 IMPROPERLY HANDLING FIREARMS IN MOTOR VEHICLE TRANSPORT LOAD
#7 USING WEAPONS WHILE INTOXICATED
#8 IMPROPERLY HANDLING FIREARMS IN MOTOR VEHICLE - DISCHARGE FI
#9 IMPROPERLY HANDLING FIREARMS IN MOTOR VEHICLE
#10 ENGAGING IN PATTERN OF CORRUPT ACTIVITY - CONDUCT, PARTICIPA
#11 FISHING LICENSE VIOLATION
#12 FISHING LICENSE VIOLATION
#13 SELLING WILD ANIMALS W/VALUE OVER $1,000
#14 SELLING WILD ANIMALS W/VALUE OVER $1,000
#15 SELLING WILD ANIMALS W/VALUE OVER $1,000
#16 SELLING WILD ANIMALS W/VALUE OVER $1,000
(BCSN - Aug 12, 2016)
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