Big-game hunt leads to felony charges

Big-game hunt leads to felony charges

May 22, 2001

By Janelle Holden
Journal Staff Writer

Felony charges have been filed against a Lewis resident who allegedly guided an illegal big-game hunt in Montezuma County.

Two years after Paul Pearson, 61, pleaded no contest to a charge of unlawful sale of wildlife, authorities have charged Pearson with illegal outfitting, unlawfully selling wildlife, unlawfully possessing a firearm, and unlawful possession of a black bear, mule deer, and velvet deer.

According to a signed statement by Huntsville, Texas, resident Milton Kroesche, Pearson and his partner, Ed Georgens of New York, offered Kroesche and three other Texas hunters a private-land hunt for a total of $3,200 last March.

When the four arrived in Cortez in October 2000, Pearson took them to a shack between county roads 22 and 23, pointed to a hill several miles to the west and an area to the north, and told them they could hunt on the property he pointed to, according Kroesche’s statement, which was included in the search warrant. Pearson claimed the property was owned by Billy Rose. Part of the money sent to Pearson was supposed to be given to Rose as a "trespass fee," the statement said.

But when the four went to scout the area Oct. 20, they were stopped by landowner Stanley Mathis, who told them "to get our asses off his property right now or he was going to call the game warden," according to Kroesche’s statement.

All four had purchased deer tags only for private land, but on Oct. 21, Pearson took the group to the San Juan National Forest land off of Forest Development Road 521, also known as the Ormiston Point Road, in Dolores County.

According to Kroesche, two men from New York were also part of the hunt and were guided by Georgens. Georgens also warned all of the hunters not to speak Pearson’s name.

"He (Georgens) emphasized to us if anyone asks you anything be sure to tell them you were hunting on your own and Paul Pearson was not guiding anyone because he did not have a guide license and could get in trouble over it," Kroesche stated.

The three days of guided hunting were fruitless for the four hunters.

On Oct. 24, the final day of the hunt, the party was on the south rim of the Dolores River Canyon when they were confronted by Dave Harper, the Colorado Division of Wildlife game warden from Dove Creek, because they were hunting on private property for which they did not have permission, according to Kroesche’s statement.

Kroesche reported that Pearson hid in the bushes while Harper questioned Georgens — who faked heart problems. Pearson allegedly had blood on his pants, and told Kroesche that one of the New York hunters had killed a "nice buck."

"I don’t think Bob killed anything," stated Kroesche. "I think Pearson had killed something but I don’t know what."

Neither Pearson or Georgens has ever been a registered outfitter in the state of Colorado, and Pearson did not have an antlered-deer license in 2000.

Officers seized various items from Pearson’s home, the shack, and his vehicle. Among the items seized on Pearson’s property were a six-point, trophy rack from a buck mule deer, a 5.5-point buck-mule-deer head mounted in velvet, a black-bear pelt, and an otter pelt, according to court documents.

Whether or not Pearson is convicted will affect an earlier case against him. On May 19, 1999, Pearson entered a plea of no contest to the Class 5 felony charge of unlawful sale of wildlife.

Judge Sharon Hansen granted Pearson a deferred sentence and required him to pay $5,250 in restitution and keep a clean record.

If he is convicted of the new charges, Pearson will have an additional felony on his criminal record.

"He had no criminal history, and he was willing to pay restitution," explained Katy Cabot, the former assistant district attorney, in explaining the deferred sentence.

However, according to the search warrant, on June 28, 1990, the Colorado Division of Regulations sent Pearson an order to cease and desist from all unlawful acts and acts which require an outfitter’s registration based on complaints they had received.

In 1997, Pearson was allegedly caught supplying three officers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and DOW with outfitting services, directing them to hunt on private land without permission, and encouraging the shooting of elk and bear without the required game tags during an archery-season hunting trip.

In September 1997, Pearson told the undercover agents he had killed a black bear three years before without a license, and a spike elk in 1996 was shot after the season, according to a statement from Eric Schaller, the Division of Wildlife investigating officer.

Pearson also told Fish and Wildlife Service agent Glen Pye that he had shot a velvet mule deer, which Pye reported seeing hanging in Pearson’s house.

Brian Rossiter, the assistant district attorney for the 22nd Judicial District, said the current charges are serious felonies which would likely result in jail time for Pearson if he is convicted.

In addition, if Pearson is convicted of taking the trophy deer, it will result in an automatic $10,000 fine. There are automatic fines of $1,000 for the black bear and $700 for the velvet deer.

Schaller, the investigating officer, also said the Division of Wildlife is seeking restitution to repay the Texas hunters.

"We have eager witnesses," said Rossiter.

Pearson recently turned down a plea offer, according to Rossiter. The case is set for trial in September.

Schaller said that Georgens and one of the New York hunters would also be charged with crimes related to the hunt.