02-18-2004, 03:42 AM
Two Grand Forks County men have been sentenced for shooting and dumping two deer in a driveway northwest of Larimore, N.D., last October.
Lucas Braaten, 18, of Larimore, and Dustin Schmidt, 18, of Niagara, N.D., each were sentenced in Grand Forks County District Court for illegal possession of a big game animal, a Class A misdemeanor. The two had been charged for shooting two small whitetail bucks and transporting the deer to a residence northwest of Larimore, where they dumped the carcasses.
Braaten was fined $325 and placed on unsupervised probation for two years in connection with the incident. He also was ordered to pay $200 restitution to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's Report All Poaching fund, and he must perform 40 hours of community service by July 1. The court suspended Braaten's hunting privileges for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, and he must complete his General Educational Development, or GED, within 90 days.
The court fined Schmidt $350 and placed him on unsupervised probation for two years. He was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service at Turtle River State Park by July 1, and his hunting privileges were suspended for the 2004 and 2005 hunting seasons. He also must pay $200 to the Game and Fish RAP fund.
In each case, the court deferred imposition of sentences for two years. According to Gary Rankin, game warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department who investigated the case, that means the charges will be wiped from the two men's records if they meet all the conditions of the sentences. Rankin said the procedure is fairly common, especially for younger offenders.
A minor involved in the case is being tried in juvenile court.
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Lucas Braaten, 18, of Larimore, and Dustin Schmidt, 18, of Niagara, N.D., each were sentenced in Grand Forks County District Court for illegal possession of a big game animal, a Class A misdemeanor. The two had been charged for shooting two small whitetail bucks and transporting the deer to a residence northwest of Larimore, where they dumped the carcasses.
Braaten was fined $325 and placed on unsupervised probation for two years in connection with the incident. He also was ordered to pay $200 restitution to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's Report All Poaching fund, and he must perform 40 hours of community service by July 1. The court suspended Braaten's hunting privileges for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, and he must complete his General Educational Development, or GED, within 90 days.
The court fined Schmidt $350 and placed him on unsupervised probation for two years. He was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service at Turtle River State Park by July 1, and his hunting privileges were suspended for the 2004 and 2005 hunting seasons. He also must pay $200 to the Game and Fish RAP fund.
In each case, the court deferred imposition of sentences for two years. According to Gary Rankin, game warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department who investigated the case, that means the charges will be wiped from the two men's records if they meet all the conditions of the sentences. Rankin said the procedure is fairly common, especially for younger offenders.
A minor involved in the case is being tried in juvenile court.
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