Jame Barrett | Muskingum County Sheriff's Office Inmate Info
A two-year covert operation spearheaded by the Ohio Division of Wildlife has resulted in charges and sentences for 11 individuals, including five from Michigan, for a series of wildlife violations centered on illegal night hunting and dicey deer tagging practices.
The investigation kicked off back in 2023 after Wildlife Officer Austin Levering received a tip about a group of hunters who were allegedly jacking up deer at night and failing to affix any sort of tag to their harvests. When a second tip to the ODNR Communications Center reinforced the allegations, game wardens ratcheted up their efforts to catch the perps in the act. Over the following two years, undercover investigators infiltrated the group, gathering photos, videos, and direct observations of multiple violations.
The hard work of the undercover wardens eventually paid off as enforcement actions culminated in January 2025 with coordinated efforts involving the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Following the initial charges, court proceedings wrapped up last week across Licking County, Muskingum County, and Cambridge Municipal Court.
The violations primarily involved jacklighting, hunting without required non-resident licenses or permits, failing to game-check deer, hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, littering with deer carcasses, and related offenses such as failing to wear hunter orange during muzzleloader season or providing false information during game-check.
As a result of the undercover investigation, all 11 of the defendents were sentenced for their wildlife crimes:
James Barrett, 28, of Harrison Township, Michigan was convicted in Licking County for jacklighting, hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, and failing to game check a deer. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and a three-year hunting license suspension. He was also charged in Muskingum County for similar counts and received an additional 90 days in jail and 300 days of house arrest.
Todd Brown, 51, of Atlanta, Michigan was convicted in Muskingum County for two counts of hunting without a proper license, jacklighting, and two counts of failing to game check deer. He was sentenced to 300 days in jail and a three-year license revocation.
Paul Laurain, 42, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, was convicted in Cambridge Municipal Court for failing to game check deer and failure to wear hunter orange during muzzleloader season. He was sentenced to a three-year license revocation.
James Laurain, 71, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, was convicted in Cambridge Municipal Court for failing to game check deer and failure to wear hunter orange during muzzleloader season. He was sentenced to a three-year license revocation.
Jonathon Ricker, 51, of Washington Township, Michigan, was convicted in Cambridge Municipal Court for hunting deer without a non-resident permit, failure to game check deer, and providing false information while game checking deer. He was sentenced to a three-year license revocation.
David Hatcher, 80, of Aurora, Illinois was convicted for possession of a deer without a tag, seal or certificate. He was made to pay a $70 fine.
Donnie Dowdy, 51, of Caldwell, West Virginia was convicted in Licking County for jacklighting, shooting from a motor vehicle, taking a deer with a gun during archery season, and transporting game out of state illegally. He was sentenced to a three-year license revocation and forfeiture of the rifle used to kill the deer.
Marcie Kerr, 54, of Kimbolton, Ohio was convicted in Cambridge Municipal Court for two counts of game checking deer taken by another person. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 40 hours of community service, and a two-year license revocation.
Jozi Shouts, 25, of Dresden, Ohio was convicted in the Cambridge Municipal Court for game checking a deer taken by another person. She was made to pay a $100 fine and a $250 restitution in lieu of 25 hours community service.
Brian Hornyak, 58, of St. Louisville, Ohio was convicted in Licking County for two counts of providing false information while game checking a deer. He was sentenced to a one-year license revocation.
Russell Hammer, 62, of Newark, Ohio was convicted in Licking County for taking more than one antlered deer and two counts of failure to game check a deer. He was sentenced to a one-year license revocation.
In addition to all of the aforementioned jail time, community service and suspensions, each of the defendants were hit with fines ranging between $70 to $9,400.
No immediate information on appeals was available at time of publishing.
