# Nice poacher sentence



## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Repeat poacher gets 4 1/2 years in prison

By AMY HAMILTON

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

The actions of a Grand Valley man who was sentenced Tuesday in court for illegally killing a six-point trophy elk was described as one of the most aggravated cases one veteran of the Colorado Division of Wildlife had ever seen.

Erik Ambriz, 28, who has a criminal history of poaching, was sentenced Tuesday on two felony charges and one misdemeanor charge to four and a half years in prison, the high end of a sentencing range imposed by Mesa County District Court Judge Brian Flynn.

"Of my 16 years of being an officer, this is one of the worst cases," said a DOW officer speaking at the hearing. The officer, who worked undercover on this case, asked that his name not be used so he could continue working in that capacity.

"It takes years and years to get a trophy license," the officer said. "He's killed a lot of animals. That makes it a longer wait for others to get their licenses."

Ambriz was accused of illegally shooting one elk near Mack, but DOW officers said Ambriz may face charges of poaching three other elk and two mule deer across just across the Colorado state line in Utah.

Ambriz was sentenced Tuesday on felony counts of illegal sale of wildlife and possessing a weapon as a previous weapon offender; and on a misdemeanor count of using an artificial light while hunting.

Ambriz told undercover officers he killed an elk the night of Oct. 14 near 2 Road while his friend, Michael Gordon, 31, used a vehicle's headlights to spot the animal, according to an arrest affidavit.

Ambriz' actions first came to light when he met an undercover officer while he worked security at Whiskey River nightclub, 490 28 1/4 Road, and the two struck up a conversation about hunting.

Ambriz told the investigator he had recently shot a seven-point bull elk during archery season on his father's property near Crawford, and he offered the investigator his cell phone number if he wanted to hunt there, the affidavit said. Ambriz also told investigators of other animals he had killed and told of his plan to sell a bull elk he had recently killed to a friend for $100.

During the course of several meetings, investigators offered $200 for the antlers and an elk.

Ambriz had one big-game license for bull elk that he purchased Oct. 13 for 2008, but it wasn't valid until the second rifle season, starting Oct. 18.

In 1998, Ambriz pleaded guilty to hunting without a license and illegally killing a six-point deer.

Ambriz said in court Tuesday that he felt bad about his actions because losing his rights to hunting and fishing licenses means he won't be able do those activities with his family. He turned in his seat to apologize to three DOW officers seated in the courtroom.

"I didn't mean to mess with the herd or anything like that," Ambriz said.

Judge Flynn said Ambriz' actions, such as shooting across roads, hunting illegally and at nighttime, and having a history of poaching, defined the case as aggravated and warranted a stiff sentence. Flynn said Ambriz was not accepted into community corrections, a program which the defendant had failed in the past, and the judge said he wouldn't impose probation for Ambriz.

"You're a criminal out killing animals," Flynn said. "You don't respect the safety of humans ... To call yourself a sportsman is really ridiculous."


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

Nice to see a tough sentence with some teeth. :beer:


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## jonesy12 (Apr 1, 2008)

Good ridance you POS!!!! :******:


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Good...


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

I guess it takes game like Elk for them to actually punish people...


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

USAlx50 said:


> I guess it takes game like Elk for them to actually punish people...


Sad isn't it, hopefully other judges will come around and start punishing people.


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## cgreeny (Apr 21, 2004)

Maybe it will turn the light on for all the judeges to start sticking it to people for shooting an extra 10 limits of birds in ND.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Hopefully it does, because, I would hate to see people starting vigilante groups for poachers. 8)


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Might not be a bad idea...lots of back hoes around...

:beer:


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## cgreeny (Apr 21, 2004)

Dak said:


> Might not be a bad idea...lots of back hoes around...
> 
> :beer:


:beer:


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Dak said:


> Might not be a bad idea...lots of back hoes around...
> 
> :beer:


I hate to waste the diesel let alone the lead.


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## hammer007911 (Feb 4, 2009)

This guy will not stop hunting do not kid yourself. This POS will be more careful next time rest assured. The law did not hold him back before what changes now?

4 1/2 years of planning how to poach and get away with it.

Hammer


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## deerslayer80 (Mar 27, 2007)

Just hope his kids don't turn out like him. What a POS of a role model. :bop: :beer:


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

hammer,

You are probably right. But however long he is jail is time spent not poaching. Plus it is a sentence that might be a real deterrent for a change.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Thats nice to see. To often you see meager fines.

4 1/2 years, thats longer than some murderers get. That is IF he serves the whole sentence, which he probably wont.

Repeat offenders should get their hunting/fishing/trapping privileges revoked nation wide for LIFE!


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## dogdonthunt (Nov 10, 2005)

> Repeat offenders should get their hunting/fishing/trapping privileges revoked nation wide for LIFE!


and that will do exactly what? they didnt need it in the first place



> This guy will not stop hunting do not kid yourself. This POS will be more careful next time rest assured. The law did not hold him back before what changes now?


do you have a better idea? this guy is a poacher period. what about the guy out there that might hit the wrong species of waterfowl... or one to many fish cuz he happened to count wrong... the average "sportsman" would feel guilty enough.... do you think they should get some time too? maybe a really stiff fine would work for some guy whos already outta work and is takeing a break from jobhunting to go throw a line in the water and take his mind off things... in reality it happens as much as we dont like it to.... yes this guy got just what he diserved... I know I wouldnt want to be sitting in a jail cell for poaching... that'd go over real good with his new cell mate Bubba thats in there for killing his boyfriend... lol but if you punish one guy like this then why not everyone the same.... I know Im playing devils advocate here but I was just adding to the discussion....


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## nita (Dec 11, 2008)

If the judge wouldn't impose probation then most likely he will be spending the majority of the 4 1/2 yrs in jail...especially since he is a repeat offender. I am not originally from ND and to be honest I have had a lot of conversations with hunters and fishers in ND about how they are upset with poachers and then later in a long conversation they end up telling me a story they think is cool about a time they broke the law themselves...so I guess what I am trying to say is I just get angry when I hear people who have not been put in a position to judge someone judging. Im not saying it's the same with all of you but that's just the experience that I have had. Although I do agree repeat offenders should have a stiff sentence, I don't believe first timers should because some of them did it un-intentionally. But whether it was intentional or not it's still wrong. There's a reason you have to be a certain age and part of that is because you need to be responsible and if not then you need to be a man and take responsibility.


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