Indiana Deer Farmer Indicted on 38 Federal Charges

Jack Ryan · 07-22-2004, 02:40 AM

Friends of Pic N Shoot hold benefit auction.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2004 CONTACT: Chuck Traxler, USFWS EA 04 – 59

Two Men Indicted For Illegally Selling, Killing and Transporting More Than 50 White-Tailed

Deer in Indiana

Northern District of Indiana United States Attorney Joseph S. Van Bokkelen announced today that a Grand Jury in South Bend, Ind., released a 38-count indictment charging two men with illegally selling and transporting wildlife across state boundaries; facilitating the illegal killing and transportation of wildlife; knowingly providing false information to federal agents; and, illegally introducing chemicals into food producing wildlife for interstate transfer. The indictment charges Russell G. Bellar, 49, of Peru, Ind., and HindsTom Jones, 36, of Edwards, Miss., with more than 30 felony violations of the Lacey Act, each. The Lacey Act is a federal wildlife protection law and each felony violation canresult in a maximum fine of $250,000 and/or 5 years in prison. "This became a federalinvestigation when it was evident that deer were being killed or sold unlawfully and many of the hunters were from out of state," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement

Agent Paul Beiriger, lead investigator for the case. "The Indiana DNR conducted an exceptional investigation and worked closely with us to bring this toward the prosecution phase." Under the Lacey Act, it is a violation of Federal law to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate commerce any wildlife, including fish,that was taken, transported, possessed, or sold in violation of any state of law. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Indiana Department of Natural Resources law enforcement agents, with assistance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal

Investigations, began investigating the activities of Bellar and Jones at their place of business, Bellar's Place, Inc., located near Peru, Ind., in October 2003. Bellar's Place, Inc., is operated as a hunting preserve owned by Bellar and was managed by Jones at the time of the investigation.

The investigation included wildlife agents posing as hunters; detailed interviews with hunters, business associates and employees; and, the execution of federal search warrants at Russell Bellar's private residence and two of his businesses. Details of the indictment and investigation allege that Bellar and Jones conducted at least 51 illegal deer hunts on the property since January 2001. The indictment states that many hunters were unlicensed, used illegal weapons and hunted with the aid of bait. In addition, the hunters were often allowed to choose specific deer and were charged up to $20,000 to kill the animals in an enclosed hunting area. The deer were often drugged and had their antlers measured prior to being placed into small pens where they were killed. Once the deer were killed, the antlers, hides and drug contaminated meat were illegally transported, often across state boundaries.

"The case is very important as a matter of law and of ethical treatment of wildlife," said Lt. Col. Jeff Wells, executive officer for the DNR law enforcement division. "This deer farm sedated wild animals and put them in small pens to be sold and shot for large sums of money. Antlers and deer hides were then illegally transported across state lines to be turned into trophies, and meat tainted with drugs was carelessly introduced into the food supply.

This was not hunting. It's just wrong." Bellar's Place, Inc., is licensed by the State of Indiana as a game breeding facility. This license authorizes the facility to possess deer in captivity and to buy and sell deer for breeding purposes.

The license does not allow the sale of deer for hunting. To sell a specific deer for hunting is illegal in Indiana.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a
fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The location of the sale is at the Miami County Fairgrounds. The fairgronds are locatled 1/4

mile east of the Bellars Place. Hope to see you there!!!

Indiana Deer Farmers Assoc. Benefit Auction
Saturday, July 24, 2004 Doors open @ 10am
Laycock - Hughes Auction Service Lic#-AU01043695
1 Choice doe fawn (out of Jordan, Chopper, Ben, or JR. Doe) Salt Lick Deer Farms
2 A.I. Service for 5 does Don Morris
3 1 Guided Texas Dall or Corsican Ram hunt 24 to 28 inches Backwoods Preserve
4 1 Quilt Shorty Lambright
5 Titleist Scotty Cameron Putter David Dimmich
6 1 Straw of Semen (Outrageous scored 144 @ 1 1/2) (GG Peaches, JB GR JB, Sizzler) Rod Syers

(MI)
7 1 Doe Fawn (Buckwheat twin sister bred to Chopper Son) Larry Lymangrover
8 2 1/2 day Free Ranging Guided Bow Hunt (Boswell, IN) Zachary Dimmich
9 1 Day of Labor Eddie Ray
10 140 to 150 class Buck O. La. Jo's Whitetail Deer
11 Small Eliminator Feeder and Stand Taylor Whitetails
12 1 Doe Fawn (JR granddaughter) WillowTree Whitetails
13 1 Roll 4' x 150' Sight Barrier Suteliffe Fence & Supply
14 150 miles of deer delivery w/ a minimum each time Jay Baker
15 Ventilation Package Chuck Bellar
16 Handling Box/ AI squeeze chute Steve Smith
17 1 Straw of Semen (Jack JR. or Choice) Mike Nedry (MI)
18 3 Day Vacation Get Away (Note this is a raffled item) Indiana Deer Farmers
19 1 Guided Fallow Buck Hunt Chocolate or Spotted Backwoods Preserve
20 1 Day Bass Fishing for 2005 Shawn Taylor
21 1 Straw of Semen (Hurricane 210 @ 4, Son of Hercules) John Yoder
22 1 Shoulder Mount Woodside Taxidermy Danny Yoder
23 Feed System Package Chuck Bellar
24 1 Straw of Semen (Lucas 229 @ 3) Son of Hercules Wayne Fulford
25 Model 06 Winchester Lever Action 22 Rifle Joseph Miller
26 1 Mature Buck Glen Lambright
27 2 yr. Old Mare 55 inches well started saddle horse Mark Borkholder
28 Replica of Thunder Antlers Pine Creek Deer Farm
29 Service Package Chuck Bellar
30 Shoulder Mount Arlen Lehman & O. La. Jo's
31 1 Choice fawn either doe fawn out of PA Geronimo or buck fawn out of Barry Bands 3yr CWD

Ron Pierce (WI) Accredited
32 1 350" Bull Elk Keeton Elk Farms
33 One roll of 10' wire JDL Sales and Services, Inc.
34 1 Guided 6 Pheasant Upland Bird Hunt Backwoods Preserve
35 1 Set 12 Cups Shorty Lambright
36 1 Straw of Semen (Roscoe 224 @ 4 yrs, 230 @ 6) Jason Busat (Alberta, Can)
37 1 Outback Duster Dave Pierce
38 1 Deer Box designed to fit in the bed of any pick-up truck Doug & Derek Workman
39 1 Straw of Semen (Hurricane 210 @ 4, Son of Hercules) John Yoder
40 1 Tower & Swingset w/ Slide Topeka Area Deer Farmers
41 1 2 yr. Old Bull Elk Chet & Leslie Clodfelter
42 1 Doe Fawn ( Sire Lightning 218 @ 3 and Dam Hoosier Doe 211 7/8 @ 3 Dean Bontrager Stock)

Leon Beachy
43 1 3-Day Whitetail Hunt Laprie, Texas with Lodging Kurt Hunter and Company
44 1 Straw of Semen (Cash 230") Orva and Kenny Whetstone
45 1 Straw of Semen (Lucas 229 @ 3) Son of Hercules Wayne Fulford
46 Two toy box benches Joni Kuhns
47 1 Buck fawn (Son of Lucas 229 @ 3 Grandson of Hercules) Wayne Fulford
48 500 SQ FT of FRP board comes in 9x8 8x8 7x8 Sheets 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 in thick (deliver 50mi)

Danny Yoder
49 Domino Daughter Doe fawn (Domino is out of Dane) Howard Miller
50 Cedar rocking chairs Rodney Bruce
51 Foursome Green Fees at Rock Hollow (Peru, IN) Chuck Bellar
52 1 Semen Collection Great Lakes Sire Service
53 OTO Productions Deer Breeders Video Package OTO Pro Todd Bricker
54 One Day of Trenching (water lines, electric lines, etc.) within an 80 mile radius Shawn

Taylor
56 1 Straw of Semen (Roscoe 224 @ 4 yrs, 230 @ 6) Jason Busat (Alberta, Can)
57 1 Buck 3 yr old Ernest Bontrager
58 1 Straw of Semen (PJ scored 202 1/4 @ 2 1/2 years) Kevin Calmes (WI)
59 Autographed Driver by PGA Tour Professional Chris Smith Chuck Bellar
60 Custom Painting Shawn Taylor
61 In-Line Muzzleloader Rodney Bruce
62 One Weekend of Bowhunting (Milford, IN) Dennis Weaver
63 Wood Clock Eddie Ray Borkholder
64 One aluminum tree stand Norman Borkholder
65 1 Quilt Salt Lick Deer Farms
66 Ventilation Package Chuck Bellar
67 Feed System Package Chuck Bellar
68 Service Package Chuck Bellar
69 3yr old Bull Elk 300+ Ramsey Elk Farm
70 I Straw of Semen (Ranger 228 @ 4) Dean Bontrager
71 Opening Weekend Bow or Muzzleloader Season Deer Hunt (Processing Included) Top Rack Deer

Ranch
72 2 Painted Circular Saw Blade Lavern Yoder
73 1 Eliminator Feeder Stand Bob Case
74 1 Cow Elk (A&W Elk Farm and Taylor Whitetails) A&W Elk Farm
75 1 Painted Turkey Feather in case Lavern Yoder

berto64 · 11-29-2004, 07:15 PM

Oughta confiscate everything them boys has related to hunting, fishing, or any wild game sports. And they be banned from hunting or related sports for the rest of their lives, after they get out of jail. Sorry SOB's

BulletArc47 · 12-29-2012, 11:42 PM

Edit--

Quote:

Originally Posted by glens67

Befor yall get your pantys all wadded up this post was from 07-22-2004

Oops. Sorry.

glens67 · 12-30-2012, 12:34 AM

Befor yall get your pantys all wadded up this post was from 07-22-2004

07-22-2004, 02:40 AM	#1
Jack Ryan V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SW Indiana Posts: 120	Indiana Deer Farmer Indicted on 38 Federal Charges Friends of Pic N Shoot hold benefit auction. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2004 CONTACT: Chuck Traxler, USFWS EA 04 – 59 Two Men Indicted For Illegally Selling, Killing and Transporting More Than 50 White-Tailed Deer in Indiana Northern District of Indiana United States Attorney Joseph S. Van Bokkelen announced today that a Grand Jury in South Bend, Ind., released a 38-count indictment charging two men with illegally selling and transporting wildlife across state boundaries; facilitating the illegal killing and transportation of wildlife; knowingly providing false information to federal agents; and, illegally introducing chemicals into food producing wildlife for interstate transfer. The indictment charges Russell G. Bellar, 49, of Peru, Ind., and HindsTom Jones, 36, of Edwards, Miss., with more than 30 felony violations of the Lacey Act, each. The Lacey Act is a federal wildlife protection law and each felony violation canresult in a maximum fine of $250,000 and/or 5 years in prison. "This became a federalinvestigation when it was evident that deer were being killed or sold unlawfully and many of the hunters were from out of state," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Agent Paul Beiriger, lead investigator for the case. "The Indiana DNR conducted an exceptional investigation and worked closely with us to bring this toward the prosecution phase." Under the Lacey Act, it is a violation of Federal law to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate commerce any wildlife, including fish,that was taken, transported, possessed, or sold in violation of any state of law. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Indiana Department of Natural Resources law enforcement agents, with assistance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, began investigating the activities of Bellar and Jones at their place of business, Bellar's Place, Inc., located near Peru, Ind., in October 2003. Bellar's Place, Inc., is operated as a hunting preserve owned by Bellar and was managed by Jones at the time of the investigation. The investigation included wildlife agents posing as hunters; detailed interviews with hunters, business associates and employees; and, the execution of federal search warrants at Russell Bellar's private residence and two of his businesses. Details of the indictment and investigation allege that Bellar and Jones conducted at least 51 illegal deer hunts on the property since January 2001. The indictment states that many hunters were unlicensed, used illegal weapons and hunted with the aid of bait. In addition, the hunters were often allowed to choose specific deer and were charged up to $20,000 to kill the animals in an enclosed hunting area. The deer were often drugged and had their antlers measured prior to being placed into small pens where they were killed. Once the deer were killed, the antlers, hides and drug contaminated meat were illegally transported, often across state boundaries. "The case is very important as a matter of law and of ethical treatment of wildlife," said Lt. Col. Jeff Wells, executive officer for the DNR law enforcement division. "This deer farm sedated wild animals and put them in small pens to be sold and shot for large sums of money. Antlers and deer hides were then illegally transported across state lines to be turned into trophies, and meat tainted with drugs was carelessly introduced into the food supply. This was not hunting. It's just wrong." Bellar's Place, Inc., is licensed by the State of Indiana as a game breeding facility. This license authorizes the facility to possess deer in captivity and to buy and sell deer for breeding purposes. The license does not allow the sale of deer for hunting. To sell a specific deer for hunting is illegal in Indiana. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The location of the sale is at the Miami County Fairgrounds. The fairgronds are locatled 1/4 mile east of the Bellars Place. Hope to see you there!!! Indiana Deer Farmers Assoc. Benefit Auction Saturday, July 24, 2004 Doors open @ 10am Laycock - Hughes Auction Service Lic#-AU01043695 1 Choice doe fawn (out of Jordan, Chopper, Ben, or JR. Doe) Salt Lick Deer Farms 2 A.I. Service for 5 does Don Morris 3 1 Guided Texas Dall or Corsican Ram hunt 24 to 28 inches Backwoods Preserve 4 1 Quilt Shorty Lambright 5 Titleist Scotty Cameron Putter David Dimmich 6 1 Straw of Semen (Outrageous scored 144 @ 1 1/2) (GG Peaches, JB GR JB, Sizzler) Rod Syers (MI) 7 1 Doe Fawn (Buckwheat twin sister bred to Chopper Son) Larry Lymangrover 8 2 1/2 day Free Ranging Guided Bow Hunt (Boswell, IN) Zachary Dimmich 9 1 Day of Labor Eddie Ray 10 140 to 150 class Buck O. La. Jo's Whitetail Deer 11 Small Eliminator Feeder and Stand Taylor Whitetails 12 1 Doe Fawn (JR granddaughter) WillowTree Whitetails 13 1 Roll 4' x 150' Sight Barrier Suteliffe Fence & Supply 14 150 miles of deer delivery w/ a minimum each time Jay Baker 15 Ventilation Package Chuck Bellar 16 Handling Box/ AI squeeze chute Steve Smith 17 1 Straw of Semen (Jack JR. or Choice) Mike Nedry (MI) 18 3 Day Vacation Get Away (Note this is a raffled item) Indiana Deer Farmers 19 1 Guided Fallow Buck Hunt Chocolate or Spotted Backwoods Preserve 20 1 Day Bass Fishing for 2005 Shawn Taylor 21 1 Straw of Semen (Hurricane 210 @ 4, Son of Hercules) John Yoder 22 1 Shoulder Mount Woodside Taxidermy Danny Yoder 23 Feed System Package Chuck Bellar 24 1 Straw of Semen (Lucas 229 @ 3) Son of Hercules Wayne Fulford 25 Model 06 Winchester Lever Action 22 Rifle Joseph Miller 26 1 Mature Buck Glen Lambright 27 2 yr. Old Mare 55 inches well started saddle horse Mark Borkholder 28 Replica of Thunder Antlers Pine Creek Deer Farm 29 Service Package Chuck Bellar 30 Shoulder Mount Arlen Lehman & O. La. Jo's 31 1 Choice fawn either doe fawn out of PA Geronimo or buck fawn out of Barry Bands 3yr CWD Ron Pierce (WI) Accredited 32 1 350" Bull Elk Keeton Elk Farms 33 One roll of 10' wire JDL Sales and Services, Inc. 34 1 Guided 6 Pheasant Upland Bird Hunt Backwoods Preserve 35 1 Set 12 Cups Shorty Lambright 36 1 Straw of Semen (Roscoe 224 @ 4 yrs, 230 @ 6) Jason Busat (Alberta, Can) 37 1 Outback Duster Dave Pierce 38 1 Deer Box designed to fit in the bed of any pick-up truck Doug & Derek Workman 39 1 Straw of Semen (Hurricane 210 @ 4, Son of Hercules) John Yoder 40 1 Tower & Swingset w/ Slide Topeka Area Deer Farmers 41 1 2 yr. Old Bull Elk Chet & Leslie Clodfelter 42 1 Doe Fawn ( Sire Lightning 218 @ 3 and Dam Hoosier Doe 211 7/8 @ 3 Dean Bontrager Stock) Leon Beachy 43 1 3-Day Whitetail Hunt Laprie, Texas with Lodging Kurt Hunter and Company 44 1 Straw of Semen (Cash 230") Orva and Kenny Whetstone 45 1 Straw of Semen (Lucas 229 @ 3) Son of Hercules Wayne Fulford 46 Two toy box benches Joni Kuhns 47 1 Buck fawn (Son of Lucas 229 @ 3 Grandson of Hercules) Wayne Fulford 48 500 SQ FT of FRP board comes in 9x8 8x8 7x8 Sheets 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 in thick (deliver 50mi) Danny Yoder 49 Domino Daughter Doe fawn (Domino is out of Dane) Howard Miller 50 Cedar rocking chairs Rodney Bruce 51 Foursome Green Fees at Rock Hollow (Peru, IN) Chuck Bellar 52 1 Semen Collection Great Lakes Sire Service 53 OTO Productions Deer Breeders Video Package OTO Pro Todd Bricker 54 One Day of Trenching (water lines, electric lines, etc.) within an 80 mile radius Shawn Taylor 56 1 Straw of Semen (Roscoe 224 @ 4 yrs, 230 @ 6) Jason Busat (Alberta, Can) 57 1 Buck 3 yr old Ernest Bontrager 58 1 Straw of Semen (PJ scored 202 1/4 @ 2 1/2 years) Kevin Calmes (WI) 59 Autographed Driver by PGA Tour Professional Chris Smith Chuck Bellar 60 Custom Painting Shawn Taylor 61 In-Line Muzzleloader Rodney Bruce 62 One Weekend of Bowhunting (Milford, IN) Dennis Weaver 63 Wood Clock Eddie Ray Borkholder 64 One aluminum tree stand Norman Borkholder 65 1 Quilt Salt Lick Deer Farms 66 Ventilation Package Chuck Bellar 67 Feed System Package Chuck Bellar 68 Service Package Chuck Bellar 69 3yr old Bull Elk 300+ Ramsey Elk Farm 70 I Straw of Semen (Ranger 228 @ 4) Dean Bontrager 71 Opening Weekend Bow or Muzzleloader Season Deer Hunt (Processing Included) Top Rack Deer Ranch 72 2 Painted Circular Saw Blade Lavern Yoder 73 1 Eliminator Feeder Stand Bob Case 74 1 Cow Elk (A&W Elk Farm and Taylor Whitetails) A&W Elk Farm 75 1 Painted Turkey Feather in case Lavern Yoder __________________ Send all those Vegans back to Vega if they don't like it! Who invited them to this planet any way? -->

11-29-2004, 07:15 PM	#2
berto64 VMBB Admin Staff Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Owyhee County, Idaho Contributor Posts: 7,385	Re: Indiana Deer Farmer Indicted on 38 Federal Charges Oughta confiscate everything them boys has related to hunting, fishing, or any wild game sports. And they be banned from hunting or related sports for the rest of their lives, after they get out of jail. Sorry SOB's __________________ Be who you are & say what you will, Those that matter won't mind and those that mind don't matter. I'm a bitter clinger, One Nation Under God.

12-30-2012, 12:34 AM	#4
glens67 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Middleton, ID Contributor Posts: 951	Re: Indiana Deer Farmer Indicted on 38 Federal Charges Befor yall get your pantys all wadded up this post was from 07-22-2004 __________________ The fish is rotting from the head down—all is not well at the top of the political hierarchy. "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein There is nothing more dangerous than a fanatic moron. Many problems we face today are there because people who work for a living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living. Molon Labe μολὼν λαβέ A Deo victoria Glen