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Plea deals raised in West Virginia poaching case

April 26th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

The Cumberland Times News reports court dates and plea offers were discussed at hearings Monday for West Virginia’s largest known deer poaching case. West Virginia Natural Resources Police conducted an investigation that led to 223 charges involving at least 27 antlered bucks taken illegally in Mineral, Grant and Hampshire counties from mid-September to late December against Tyler Biggs, his father Christopher Biggs, Dalton Dolly, Colton Broadwater, his father Gregory Broadwater, Ivy Rodehaver, Robert Horner Sr. and his son Robert “Beau” Horner Jr. At Mineral County Magistrate Court Monday, Rodehaver’s attorney, Dan James, who also represents the Biggses, asked for the case to be transferred to circuit court. Hampshire County prosecuting attorney Rebecca Miller, overseeing the case in Mineral and Hampshire counties, objected. Grant County Magistrate Emory Feaster Jr., who presided over the case, denied James’s motion and set pretrial hearings to begin at 9 a.m. June 13 for Rodehaver and Dolly. Gregory Broadwater, who was unrepresented, entered a plea of no contest in an offer from Miller for counts including failure to register, illegal possession of wildlife and conspiracy. Throughout Monday’s hearings, court professionals discussed procedural differences among the three counties involved.