From record 18-point buck to poaching charges: Four accused in illegal Ohio deer hunt
What began with a record-setting buck taken during Ohio's deer season in November has ended with criminal charges against a Southwest Ohio man for alleged poaching, along with three others accused of aiding in the crime.
Christopher J. Alexander of Wilmington, Ohio, is accused of unlawfully harvesting the 18-point white-tailed deer on Nov. 9, 2023, according to a press release from Attorney General David Yost's office.
“Blinded by greed, the defendants set their sights on fame and fortune while disregarding basic hunting regulations,” Yost said in the statement. “Instead of the cover of Field & Stream, their notoriety will be a booking photo.”
A Clinton County grand jury handed up the indictment on May 10.
According to Yost's office, Alexander claimed that the deer was shot and killed on land owned by his sister, Kristina M. Alexander, where he had written permission to hunt. However, an investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which obtained a warrant for Alexander's cellphone data, found that deer was illegally hunted on private property 10 miles from his sister's land.
ODNR launched the investigation in December following a tip that Alexander failed to obtain written permission, required by law, prior to hunting on private property.
Alexander staged the deer taking at his sister’s property, according to Yost's office, with the help of Corey P. Haunert and his brother, Zachary R. Haunert, to conceal the poaching. The written permission presented to wildlife officers was likewise falsified.
Yost's office says the deer stands out as the largest typical whitetail in Ohio, with remarkable antler uniformity. Additionally, some reports rank it as the third-largest typical whitetail in North America.
ODNR's investigation also found that Corey Haunert aided Christopher Alexander in poaching deer on multiple occasions, according to Yost's office, providing the crossbow and helping in deer retrieval and staging with Zachary Haunert. Kristina Alexander is accused of falsifying the date when the written permission to hunt occurred.
Additionally, wildlife officers learned that Christopher Alexander deceptively profited from the poaching, selling deer antlers and receiving payments totaling $20,000 from an antler collector, a hunting magazine and a company that sells deer products, according to Yost's office.
Christopher Alexander, 28, of Wilmington, faces 23 total charges:
Five counts each of illegally hunting deer without written permission, a third-degree misdemeanor, and taking possession of a deer in violation of a division rule (M3).
Three counts of theft by deception, fourth- and fifth-degree felonies.
Two counts each of hunting without a license (M4), hunting deer without a valid deer permit (M4) and tampering with evidence (F3)
One count each of jacklighting (M3) — shining a light into a field or forest to at night to find animals to hunt — theft (M1), falsification (M1) and sale of wildlife parts (M4)
Corey Haunert, 29, of Hillsboro, faces eight charges:
Four counts of aiding a wildlife offender (M3)
Two counts of hunting without written permission (M3)
One count each of tampering with evidence (F3) and falsification (M1)
Kristina Alexander, 37, of Blanchester, faces one count of falsification (M1) and one count of aiding a wildlife offender (M3).
Zachary Haunert, 31, of Lebanon, faces two misdemeanor counts of aiding a wildlife offender (M3).
A spokesperson from Yost's office said all four will be arraigned on the charges at 11 a.m. June 21.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Ohio poached deer: Four charged in illegal hunt of 18-point buck
