Michigan Ag Connection - Kalamazoo Co. Man Pleads Building to Hunting, License Violations

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Kalamazoo Co. Man Pleads Building to Hunting, License Violations
Michigan Ag Connection - 08/24/2016

A Cooper Township man with a history of running afoul of Michigan conservation law was in the 8th District Court of Kalamazoo County Wednesday morning to plead guilty to three counts related to hunting and licensing violations.

Craig Michael Laws, 29, initially was charged with seven misdemeanor counts relating to:

-- Purchasing hunting licenses while under revocation.

-- Possessing a deer while ineligible to secure a license.

-- Possessing an untagged deer.

-- Failing to validate a kill tag.

The original hunting license revocation stems from a 2013 Kalamazoo County conviction in which Laws killed and possessed a deer without a valid Michigan hunting license.

Under the current plea agreement, Laws entered a guilty plea to three misdemeanor violations, one count each of:

-- Possessing a deer while ineligible to secure a license.

-- Possessing a deer without a license attached.

-- Obtaining a license when ineligible.

Laws was ordered to pay $250 in court fines and reimbursement in the amount of $2,000, which will be deposited into the state of Michigan's Game and Fish Protection Fund. Laws also will be ineligible to purchase a hunting license in Michigan for five years.

In October 2015, Michigan conservation officers who cover Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties received information that Laws unlawfully had taken a five-point buck. That information prompted the officers to execute a search warrant on Laws' residence.

During the search, officers discovered evidence of illegal hunting and unauthorized license purchases. The search also showed Laws was in illegal possession of marijuana, resulting in the Michigan State Police Southwest Enforcement Task Force being called to the residence. In May 2016, Laws pled guilty to the delivery and manufacture of marijuana -- charges requested by Michigan State Police.

"I want to recognize the dedication and hard work of all the officers involved in closing this case," said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. "Those individuals who blatantly disregard our state's conservation laws do a great disservice to the hundreds of thousands of responsible, ethical Michigan sportsmen and women who have sincere passion and regard for wildlife.

"I also want to commend the person who made the decision to provide a tip that Mr. Laws had poached a deer," Hagler said. "These kinds of calls play a tremendous role in our officers' ability to protect Michigan's natural resources."

Violations of Michigan's hunting laws can be reported by calling the Report All Poaching Hotline at 1-800-292-7800 or completing an online form.

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