In another case of blatant disregard for the law, a Fremont County man has lost his hunting and trapping privileges for life after pleading guilty to eight wildlife charges stemming from the illegal taking of deer, elk, and a moose dating all the way back to 2021.
As was announced yesterday by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Dakota Jordan of Lander was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Jefferson Coombs following what turned out to be a multi-year investigation. In addition to the lifetime revocation in Wyoming, the ban is recognized in 49 other states under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
Jordan was ordered to serve 96 days in jail, which he began immediately after his court appearance, along with three years of supervised probation. Outside of suspensions and jail time, our man was also handed $18,000 in fines and restitution and forfeited all weapons, wildlife parts, and two vehicles used in the crimes.
“This case highlights the dedication of our wardens and investigators, as well as the critical role modern forensic science plays in protecting Wyoming’s wildlife,” Game Warden Jon Desonier, who led the investigation, said. “We are lucky to have the help and support of a top-notch Wildlife Forensics Lab in Laramie.”
According to the release, the investigation involved nearly every game warden in the Lander Region along with department wildlife investigators. While officers documented evidence of additional animals taken illegally, prosecutors focused on the eight counts supported by location data, text messages, photographs, and even forensic DNA matches.
The investigation was driven by high-tech breakthroughs that included DNA samples taken from headless carcasses found in the field that later matched physical evidence recovered at the suspect’s property. In one instance, a poached elk was discovered by Game and Fish personnel during a routine winter classification flight; DNA from that animal later matched elk ivories seized during a search warrant. Investigators also used background details in a suspect photograph of an illegally taken moose near Crowheart, working with a High Plains Power maintenance crew to identify the specific utility line visible in the image.
In what looks to be something of a generational tradition, Wyoming officials also linked Jordan’s father to the case, with him previously pleading guilty to two related wildlife counts. For his role (for which details remain scant), his father received a five-year suspension of his hunting privileges and was ordered to pay $5,370 in fines and restitution.
From the sounds of things, this case is far from being blown wide open. With two men down, Game and Fish officials said they are continuing to work with law enforcement agencies in neighboring states and tribal authorities on the Wind River Reservation in an effort to locate and charge two to three additional people linked to the large-scale poaching operation.
“The successful outcome of this case would not have been possible without the cooperation, information and assistance provided by members of the public and High Plains employees,” Desonier said. “Their contributions were instrumental in bringing this case to a successful resolution.”
