Trending
Multiple felony charges have been filed in Northwest District Court against a man authorities say has been illegally acting as a hunting guide in Divide County.
Randal Layman Jr., 26, Fayetteville, Tenn., is facing seven counts of exploitation of wildlife, class C felonies that each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Investigators from the Divide County Sheriff's Office and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department say Layman was charging clients $1,000 to guide them on hunts and had been doing so since at least 2014. They allege Layman was advertising guiding services in North Dakota through Elk River Outfitters on Facebook and Instagram.
Investigation revealed that Layman has never been a licensed guide in North Dakota. Also, say investigators, Layman illegally harvested a mule deer with a white-tailed deer only license. Layman told investigators that he shot the deer with a bow and arrow but examination found a piece of a bullet in the deer.
Additionally, Layman was cited for having three sandhill cranes over his daily limit and exceeding the possession limit on ducks by 20. Those violations were discovered in October 2017.
In October 2016, Layman was charged with transporting another person's game. He was found guilty and fined $100. A preliminary hearing for Layman on the recent felony charges is set for Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. at the courthouse in Crosby.