January 3, 2023 |
Saratoga resident Tom Arthur has changed his plea to guilty in a high-profile poaching case.
Arthur, owner of the Upper Cedar Creek Ranch, and Joseph Johnston, the ranch manager, both face charges from early September for their parts in intentionally taking an antlered big game animal out of season. Arthur initially pleaded not guilty to the charge.
As a Wyoming rancher, Arthur is eligible for a landowner hunting license, enabling him to take game animals on his property without going through the usual, competitive, licensing process. Wyoming Landowners with over 160-acres are issued two hunting licenses, per species, each year if they can prove their property provides so many wildlife grazing days per year. Landowner license holders must abide by all hunting regulations.
The Saratoga game warden cited Arthur with using a rifle during bow season to kill an antlered deer. Poaching is a serious crime with fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 and a loss of hunting privileges for no less than five years in multiple states, not just Wyoming.
Arthur and his attorneys have met with Carbon County prosecutors three times for out-of-court settlement conferences, with the final time occurring on December 27th.
Arthur originally pled “not guilty” to the charge. Carbon County Circuit Court Deputy Clerk Annette Green said Arthur has changed his plea.
Pictured above: File photo of a mule deer.
Joseph Johnston, an employee of Arthur’s ranch, was charged as an accessory after the fact on the same day. Johnston has a settlement conference with county prosecutors on January 10th at 8:30 a.m.
