Three charged with Federal Wildlife violations

MADISON — A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned indictment on April 19th against three people for violations of Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

In separate indictments, but resulting from a common investigation, three men who operated as hunting guides are charged with violations of the Lacey Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The indictments charge: Tony Toye, 49, Boscobel, WI, owner and operator of Big River Guide Service LLC, in Boscobel; Jeremy Schreiner, 34, Durand, WI, owner and operator of Addicted River Guiding, in Alma, WI, and Matt Raley, Arbor Vitae, WI, owner and operator of Hideaway Hollow Outfitters, in Lancaster, WI.

The indictments charge each defendant, while guiding a migratory waterfowl hunt, with directing a client to continue to kill ducks after the client had killed his daily bag limit of ducks. The indictments allege that in each circumstance, the client was in fact an undercover U. S. Fish and Wildlife agent.

The indictment charging Toye alleges that the hunt he guided took place on October 16, 2013, the indictment charging Schreiner alleges that the hunt he guided took place on November 27, 2013, and the indictment charging Matt Raley alleges that the hunt he guided took place on November 23, 2012. Each of these guided hunts took place on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison. The charges are the result of an investigation by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement; Refugee Law Enforcement; and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.