Dell Schanze, Wildlife Harassment, Utah 2023

State: Utah
Category: Wildlife Crime
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/schanze-pleads-guilty-charged-misdemeanor-information-convicted-using-aircraft-harass" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

SALT LAKE CITY – In a shocking display of disregard for Utah’s wildlife, Dell Schanze, 45, of American Fork, Utah, has pleaded guilty to using an aircraft to harass wildlife and pursuing a migratory bird in U.S. District Court.

The charges, filed in a Misdemeanor Information, alleged that Schanze violated the Airborne Hunting Act by using a motorized paraglider to harass a barn owl during an incident in February or March of 2011. Additionally, Schanze was accused of using a motorized paraglider to harass the barn owl, a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

U.S. District Judge Dee Benson took the plea and imposed a sentence of one year of court probation. Schanze will forfeit an orange parasail as a substitute asset for the paraglider involved in the illegal conduct. Judge Benson also ordered him not to land a paraglider in a federally-designated Wilderness Area or in any area closed to motorized access by a federal agency.

“The protection of Utah’s wildlife should be important to all of us. Mr. Schanze used his motorized paraglider to harass an owl to the point of exhaustion and then kicked it. His actions showed utter disregard for this protected bird,” U.S. Attorney Carlie Christensen said.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from the Rocky Mountain Information Network. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Dell Schanze, a resident of American Fork, Utah, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor information filed in late October. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The outcome of the case is a significant blow to wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists who work tirelessly to protect Utah’s natural resources. The sentence handed down by Judge Benson serves as a reminder that wildlife harassment will not be tolerated in Utah.

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