Snapshot Report post Posted April 7, 2016 Steep fines handed down in 'Friday Night Lights' poaching case Christopher Ball (left) and Christopher Perez (Source: Arizona Game and Fish Department) PHOTOS: KOLD News 13 April Mugshots TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - Two Tucson men who were arrested in 2014 by Arizona Game and Fish department officers have been fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing five deer in Redington Pass, also known as the "Friday Night Lights" case. AZGFD on Thursday said the men were fined a total of $54,300 for their respective roles in committing multiple wildlife violations by “spotlighting” animals in 2013-14. Christopher Perez was individually fined $11,300, plus an additional $42,750 shared with accomplice Christopher Ball, who was individually fined $250. Perez pleaded guilty in 2015 to 16 charges, and Ball pleaded to nine charges. Each was sentenced to 120 days in jail and criminally fined $750. They were ordered to serve 100 hours of community service and 24 months of unsupervised probation, and attend a hunter education class as well as an animal offender treatment program. "Poachers aren't sportsmen," Raul Vega, Regional Supervisor of Game and Fish in Tucson, said in a news release. "They are thieves stealing wildlife from the state and its citizens. The amount of the fines shows the penalties can be high for those who show such disregard for the laws and cruelty to wildlife. No true sportsman would engage in this kind of conduct.” The investigation began in August 2014 when an archery deer hunter discovered three deer that had been shot with a rifle a day or two before. One of the deer was pregnant with two fawns. At the time, it was archery deer season, and no rifle hunts were allowed. AZGFD officers received a tip about a suspect through a hotline. Perez and Ball were investigated and later admitted to killing the five deer. The investigation also revealed that the men committed multiple other game violations between the summer of 2013 and the summer of 2014, including poaching 15 deer, as well as other small game animals such as reptiles, a hawk, a bobcat and a fox. Many of the offenses occurred on Friday nights from a truck outfitted with LED lights, prompting AZGFD officers to refer to the case as the "Friday Night Lights" case. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heat Report post Posted April 8, 2016 Sounds like they need a "Friday Night" butt whipping! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5guyshunting Report post Posted April 8, 2016 Cool they got caught, but now they're gonna wonna ban LED lights. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmer Negamanee Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "Thank you" to the hunter who reported this and the person who used the hotline to give more information. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "And attend a hunter education class" WTF! I read on this site every year about kids who can't get a class!! Did they let these guys do a field day too? Who paid for it? Better yet, whose kids lost their spots because these guys had their seats!!!?? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted April 8, 2016 Glad they got busted. I used to love hunting around Reddington Pass, but scum like these douche bags have ruined it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "And attend a hunter education class" WTF! I read on this site every year about kids who can't get a class!! Did they let these guys do a field day too? Who paid for it? Better yet, whose kids lost their spots because these guys had their seats!!!?? can't hardly wait to see who shows up for that class. Someone's gotta show the kids what poachers look like. Wish it were me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "And attend a hunter education class" WTF! I read on this site every year about kids who can't get a class!! Did they let these guys do a field day too? Who paid for it? Better yet, whose kids lost their spots because these guys had their seats!!!?? I was wondering the same thing. Don't they usually suspend hunting rights for 5 years? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWDesertRat Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "And attend a hunter education class" WTF! I read on this site every year about kids who can't get a class!! Did they let these guys do a field day too? Who paid for it? Better yet, whose kids lost their spots because these guys had their seats!!!?? I was wondering the same thing. Don't they usually suspend hunting rights for 5 years? Pretty sure that during the commission meeting last month they permanently revoked hunting and fishing licenses for these guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "And attend a hunter education class" WTF! I read on this site every year about kids who can't get a class!! Did they let these guys do a field day too? Who paid for it? Better yet, whose kids lost their spots because these guys had their seats!!!?? I was wondering the same thing. Don't they usually suspend hunting rights for 5 years?Pretty sure that during the commission meeting last month they permanently revoked hunting and fishing licenses for these guys. so why make then take the class? Or was the class revoked too? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SWDesertRat Report post Posted April 8, 2016 "And attend a hunter education class" WTF! I read on this site every year about kids who can't get a class!! Did they let these guys do a field day too? Who paid for it? Better yet, whose kids lost their spots because these guys had their seats!!!?? I was wondering the same thing. Don't they usually suspend hunting rights for 5 years?Pretty sure that during the commission meeting last month they permanently revoked hunting and fishing licenses for these guys. so why make then take the class? Or was the class revoked too? heck I don't know, you bring up a good point and questions though. The chumps could choose not to take the class since they'll never be able to hunt or fish in Az or any states that are in the compact. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted April 8, 2016 HaHaHa... Makes me warm and fuzzy when scrotes with chromosone damage get some of what they deserve... Good Job ... Yep it kinda makes me warm and fuzzy too. The judge should make it mandatory for them to at least have them confront a class of future hunters and make it be known that they are poachers and not hunters. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted April 8, 2016 They should have to open the class with..."I am a poacher, and here's why it's wrong...." Just my opinion. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted April 8, 2016 They should have to open the class with..."I am a poacher, and here's why it's wrong...." Just my opinion. That would be a good start. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted April 8, 2016 This should be first day of class 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
