6 charged in poaching case after trophy elk and deer mounts seized in Tri-Cities
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- Montana and Washington wildlife officers seized 11 trophy mounts as evidence.
- Six suspects face 34 charges tied to illegal elk and deer kills from 2020-2024.
- The defendants owe nearly $23,000 in bonds and restitution for poaching offenses.
Eight trophy deer and elk taxidermy mounts have been seized in the Tri-Cities area in an investigation by Montana game wardens of poaching in a remote area of that state.
Washington state Fish and Wildlife Department officers helped serve multiple Tri-Cities area search warrants, the Washington agency said Friday.
Five suspects in Tri-Cities were questioned about game killed without licenses or tags and in areas where special permits are required to kill a bull elk with branched antlers.
Three more mounts were seized as evidence in Montana for a total of 11 elk and deer mounts collected as evidence in the case.
The investigation resulted in six residents of Montana or Washington being charged with unlawfully killing several bull elk and mule deer bucks in the Bull Montains near Roundup, Mont., between 2020 and 2024, said Montana officials.
The six people have been issued 34 total charges and 13 warnings by Montana game wardens.
Montana game wardens have not released the names of those charged, and Montana charging documents were not made available to the Tri-City Herald this week.
However, Seaborn Larson with the Montana State News Bureau reported that four Washington residents were charged — Noe Valadez, Jr., Benito Valadez, Kyle Gene Steiling and John Lopez.
The six people charged are scheduled to enter pleas in mid and late August hearings in a Montana court.
The Montana game wardens were assisted by the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Billings Police Department and the Musselshell County Attorney’s Office.
No further details of the investigation have been released.
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This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 12:51 PM with the headline "6 charged in poaching case after trophy elk and deer mounts seized in Tri-Cities."