3 plead guilty to deer "poaching spree" in Westmoreland County

GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- Three people pleaded guilty to a "poaching spree" that illegally killed over two dozen deer in Westmoreland County, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced. 

Michael Matson Jr., Chase Piper and Angelica Morgan were all charged after an investigation into the illegal killing of 26 deer from October to November of 2022, the Game Commission's Southwest Region said. At a preliminary hearing, officials said they entered plea agreements for multiple charges.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission says the investigation began after a warden got information about the illegal taking of a protected four-point antlered deer at the end of 2022.

After five search warrants and several interviews with those involved, the warden learned 26 deer, both antlered and antlerless, were illegally killed. "The majority of these unlawfully killed animals were left to lay and rot where they were shot," the Game Commission said. 

Following the guilty pleas, the Game Commission said two of the three charged were sentenced to six months of probation and $1,600 in fines while the third person, who pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while prohibited, will serve 1-2 years in state prison and another 1-2 years concurrent sentence for 15 of the illegally taken deer. 

Two other people pleaded guilty to summary charges, officials said.  

In total, the Game Commission said the five of them face over 120 years of hunting license privilege suspension. 

"Solving these complex wildlife crimes can be difficult but could never be possible without the initial involvement of the public who reports the violations," the Game Commission said. 

People can report wildlife crimes by calling Operation Game Thief's hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001 or by submitting a tip online.