Loudoun County, Virginia– A joint illegal hunting investigation between the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries has led to two more arrests. Items seized in the investigation include: numerous deer carcasses, 78 sets of deer antlers, 72 turkey beards, three firearms and the claws of two federally protected birds.
Jason Andrew Austin, 28, and Josh Dean Pratt, 23, both of Leesburg, were charged this month in connection with a suspected poaching ring. Austin ischarged with three counts of unlawful possession of a wild animal, four counts of unlawfully killing a deer, three counts of discharging a weapon in or across a road, two counts of taking game during the closed season, and hunting deer with sights after dark. Austin also faces federal game violations for possession of hawk claws. Pratt is charged with three counts of unlawfully killing a deer, three counts of unlawful possession of wildlife, conspiracy to kill wild game, and two counts of discharging a weapon in or across a road, and taking game during the closed season.
Back on November 29, 2008, Loudoun Deputies responded to a hunting complaint in the area of Rosefinch Circle in the Lucketts, VA area around 9:50 p.m. A resident reported several subjects were shooting deer. The resident confronted the men who left the scene in a dark colored truck.
Shortly before 11 p.m. a Sheriff’s Deputy located a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle in the hunting complaint. A traffic stop was initiated in the area of Loyalty Road and Hannah Drive. Inside the cab and the bed of the vehicle were signs of recent hunting activity. The driver of the vehicle, Joseph A. Hobbie, 35, of Martinsburg, WV, was charged with DUI,unlawful possession of wildlife, and obtaining a hunting license under false pretenses (held a VA resident license).
A Virginia Conservation Police Officer was called to assist in the investigation. During the course of the investigation nine deer carcasses possibly connected to the case were located at a residence in the 41800 block of Stumptown Road in Leesburg. The deer were all in the process of being prepared.
The investigation continued and in December 2008 a search warrant was conducted on a home on Barnhouse Place in Leesburg, VA. Items located in the home included 78 sets of deer antlers, 71 turkey beards, two firearms, pictures and documents, three hawk claws and four partially-white deer hides. A second search warrant was conducted on a home on Spinks Ferry Road.Items located in the home included packaged venison and other deer parts from at least seven different deer, pictures and documents and two picture cell phones.
The venison recovered from the homes on Stumptown Road and Spinks Ferry Roadwere taken to a private butcher shop and turned over to Hunters for the Hungry.
