In yet another Lacey Act violation, a Colorado man was sentenced this week for his participation in what is looking to be a large-scale illegal hunting operation in Nebraska.
50-year-old Michael Ban of Elbert, Colorado appeared in the U.S. District Court in Lincoln last week for his sentencing for unlawful transportation of wildlife in interstate commerce. Sealing his fate, District Judge John Gerrard handed down a sentence of two years probation along with a $5,000 fine, an additional $4,000 in restitution and a one-year suspension of his hunting and fishing privileges.
The incident that spurred the investigation took place back in September of 2019 when Ban hired an outfitter by the name of Noble Outdoors for an archery mule deer hunt. Both state and federal game wardens investigated and found that Ban shot a mule deer buck in Lincoln County at approximately 11:12 p.m – well beyond legal shooting hours. In addition, the investigation revealed that Ban was without a proper tag for the animal at the time of the kill.
He reportedly acquired a permit the following day.
The incident is one of many that have implicated the not so well-to-do operators at Noble Outdoors. The big game outfitter has been named in a variety of recent prosecutions whose clients have been on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars worth of penalties dished out over the past few months.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, between 2015 and 2021, 17 defendants have been sentenced and ordered to pay more than $65,000 in fines and restitution for state and federal violations including shooting deer from the road, taking game without a valid permit, taking deer with a firearm during archery season and dumping carcasses in waters of the state.
