DUCHESNE COUNTY —On Sept. 26, 2016, the DWR conservation officer in Roosevelt received a tip that William (Billy) August Thompson had possibly killed a large bull elk and several cow elk in Uintah and Duchesne counties.
The tip launched two weeks of interviews and surveillance. Through their efforts, DWR officers determined the tip was accurate: William had likely killed a large trophy bull elk in the Pigeon Water area of Duchesne County and several cow elk in Tridell in Uintah County.
On Oct. 11, 2016, DWR officers interviewed William and Jennifer (William’s wife) at their home in Mount Emmons in Duchesne County. During his interview, William admitted to illegally killing at least three bull elk, two cow elk and a deer in Tridell.
But the poaching wasn’t limited to William. Officers also learned that Jennifer had illegally killed one cow elk and one deer in the same area. Officers then seized three sets of bull elk antlers, meat from two elk, one rifle and a bow from the Thompson home.
As officers continued their investigation, they learned the poaching didn’t stop with William and Jennifer, either: William admitted helping George Walsh—Jennifer’s stepfather from East Meadow, New York—kill a buck deer, a doe deer and a cow elk in Tridell, all without legal tags.
During his final interview with officers, the total number of animals William killed illegally finally came to light.
He admitted killing a total of four bull elk (including two trophy bulls), four cow elk and two buck deer. William, who is a convicted felon, also admitted to killing most of the animals with a rifle, which he isn’t permitted to have. He also admitted to fraudulently buying duplicate tags to put on additional animals, buying a tag in his grandfather’s name, killing and tagging a trophy bull with his wife’s tag, and helping her kill a cow elk and a doe deer. Jennifer admitted to killing the cow elk and the doe deer.
DWR officers then turned their attention to Jennifer’s stepfather. They contacted officers with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). On Oct. 18, 2016, NYSDEC officers interviewed Walsh at his home. At first, Walsh denied killing anything in Utah. After the officers found out about 40 pounds of elk meat at his home, though, Walsh admitted the meat was from Utah. NYSDEC officers seized the elk meat and issued Walsh a citation for illegal possession of big game.
On Jan. 24, 2018 in Duchesne County, and March 27, 2018 in Uintah County, the Thompsons pleaded guilty to all of the charges against them.
William received a court fine of $500 and was ordered to pay $16,350 to the state’s Help Stop Poaching fund. He was also placed on probation for 36 months and ordered to serve 107 days in the Duchesne County and Uintah County jails.
He could lose his hunting and fishing privileges in Utah—and 46 other states involved in the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact—for 65 years.
Jennifer received a court fine of $500 and was ordered to pay $1,900 to the Help Stop Poaching fund. She was placed on probation for 36 months and ordered to serve 10 days in the Uintah County Jail. She could lose her hunting privileges in all the states involved in the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact for 17 years.
Walsh is still going through the court process. If convicted, he could pay up to $1,550 to the Help Stop Poaching fund, serve jail time and lose his hunting privileges for 17 years.
DWR officers are grateful for the tip that led to this investigation and its successful conclusion. If you have information about any wildlife violation, please call the Utah Turn-in-a-Poacher (UTiP) Hotline at 800-662-3337 or submit a report online. Requests for confidentiality are respected and honored.
Poacher ordered to pay $17,000, serve jail time
Poacher 2