Fishermen sentenced to 10 days in jail after stuffing fish with weights at tournament

Two males who admitted to dishonest throughout a fishing event in Ohio have been sentenced to 10-day jail phrases, prosecutors mentioned Thursday. 

Jacob Runyan, 43, and Chase Cominsky, 36, have been additionally required to forfeit Cominsky’s boat, price an estimated $130,000, officers mentioned. Each males’s fishing licenses have been suspended for 3 years, the utmost quantity allowed by regulation, and can spend a 12 months and a half on probation after they full their jail phrases. Runyan and Cominsky should additionally every pay a $2,500 superb.

“Though these two need to have their fishing license suspended for all times, the regulation solely permits a most of three years,” Prosecutor Michael O’Malley mentioned. “These two needs to be banned from each fishing event for all times. They’re thieves and now they’re convicted felons.”  

The sentencing got here months after the pair have been accused of stuffing fish with lead weights and fish filets in an try and win the Lake Erie Walleye Path event in September 2022. Groups compete within the event to see who can catch the 5 heaviest walleye in Lake Erie. The winner will get a prize of $28,760. 

In a dramatic scene that was caught on video, the event director seen Runyan and Cominsky’s walleyes have been heavier than they seemed and lower open the fish, revealing the metallic weights and a number of other fish filets inside. The fishermen have been disqualified and informed to go away the event. 

Runyan and Cominsky pleaded responsible in March to dishonest and illegal possession of untamed animals.

O’Malley mentioned he is satisfied “these two crooks” have cheated in different tournaments.