DNR: Conesville Man Faces Numerous Wildlife Charges

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From an Iowa Department of Natural Resources media release:

Conesville Man Faces Numerous Wildlife Charges

MUSCATINE – A Muscatine County man faces 17 years in prison and up to $46,500 in fines after being charged with various firearms and illegal hunting and fishing violations this past week.

Bradley V. Honts, 28, of Conesville, was arrested by Iowa conservation officers on Saturday morning in a private farm field north of Conesville during the opening of the Iowa duck hunting season.

Honts was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, hunting without a valid hunting license while under suspension, hunting without a valid wildlife habitat fee while under suspension, hunting migratory waterfowl without the state migratory bird fee while under suspension, and hunting migratory waterfowl without a federal duck stamp while under suspension.  In addition, officials from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) seized three firearms in connection with the investigation.

Earlier in the week, on October 19, Honts was indicted by the Muscatine County Attorney's Office and charged with two additional counts of fishing without a valid fishing license while under suspension.  A fishing boat was seized in connection with those charges.  All of the charges were filed in connection with an ongoing investigation by Iowa DNR officials involving Honts' alleged illegal fishing and hunting activity.

In 2005, Honts was arrested and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and a waterfowl hunting violation.  Honts pleaded guilty to both charges.  In 2007, Honts was convicted of five violations involving sport turtle trapping, resulting in the suspension of his hunting and fishing privileges for a period of three years under the Iowa DNR's multiple offender system.

In 2009, Honts was arrested again and charged with 12 counts of taking bullfrogs without a valid fishing license while under suspension and an additional 15 counts of taking and having possession of bullfrogs over the legal daily bag limit while under suspension.  In January, Honts pleaded guilty to 10 of the bullfrog charges resulting in an additional 10 year suspension of his Iowa hunting and fishing privileges.

Each of the current fishing and hunting violations facing Honts is an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years in prison and up to a $6,500 fine per count.  The firearms charge is a Class D Felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $7,500 fine. The charges are accusations and Honts is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Iowa duck hunting season in the south zone opened on October 23, and runs through December 16.

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