Picking up from our last episode, we sit down with two of the Ohio game wardens responsible for bringing this case before the court. Wildlife Officers Isaiah Gifford and Matt Roberts outline the meticulous effort and tiny details that led to the indictment and ultimate guilty plea of the now-infamous poacher, CJ Alexander.
See this episode on YouTube here: EP140 CJ Alexander Buck The Officer’s interview
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Here’s what we discuss:
- Investigation began as a typical follow up when a trophy animal is taken
- Alexander spins his tale
- Wildlife officers visit the alleged kill site
- The staged site seems unusual, but mostly believable
- A video arrives showing the animal 10 miles away
- Wardens take a closer look
- A bait pile and other evidence is found
- Trail camera photos show the deer in the area
- A grid search locates more evidence
- Tiny details in a photo confirm officers’ suspicions
- “There’s a knife – and there’s another knife!”
- Alexander admits lying about the site
- Antlers had already been sold, and are confiscated
- Foliage at the supposed kill site does not match photos
- Search warrants solidify the evidence
- The poacher continues to make false claims publicly
- Charges include tampering with evidence and theft by deception
- Investigators meticulously pore through the evidence
- “At the end of the day, we knew what we had.”
- An Ohio record for restitution
Credits
Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores
Producer: Jay Ammann
Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett
Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches
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