BILLINGS — Six men from Montana and Washington recently pleaded guilty to poaching bull elk and mule deer bucks in Musselshell County Justice Court, according to a news release from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks on Friday.
The violations occurred between 2020 and 2024.
Working on a tip, Montana wardens worked with Washington warden to seize several mounts of poached elk and deer.
The six men killed several large bull elk in Hunting District 590, which is in the Musselshell County area, without proper permits and several large mule deer without licenses.
Eleven mounts were seized as evidence in the investigation, and 34 charges and 13 warnings were issued by FWP wardens.
The sentences are:
- Ben Valadez - Tri Cities, WA, $8,050 in fines and restitution, 8-year license revocation
- Devon Rea – Roundup, MT, $4,275 in fines and restitution, 4-year license revocation
- Kyle Steiling – Tri Cities, WA, $3,640 in fines and restitution, 4-year license revocation
- Mitch Miller – Roundup, MT, $3,050 in fines and restitution, 8-year license revocation
- Noa Valadez – Tri Cities, WA, $2,070 in fines and restitution, 2-year license revocation
- Johnny Lopez – Tri Cities, WA, $1,805 in fines and restitution, 2-year license revocation
“We would like to thank the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Billings Police Department, and the Musselshell County Attorney’s Office for their assistance,” said FWP game warden Jake Barzen, who was the lead investigator in the case. “But most of all, we thank the public, since like in so many other cases, it was their tips that initially sparked our investigation.”
Anyone with information about wildlife crimes is encouraged to visit the FWP TIPMONT site. Those who report information may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
