A poacher illegally harvested a trophy white-tailed deer buck on private property he falsely claimed belonged to his sister, resulting in the largest restitution value for a single white-tailed deer in Ohio history.
Christopher J. Alexander, 28, pleaded guilty to 14 counts related to the incident and was sentenced Thursday to pay the maximum restitution for the 18-point trophy buck amounting to $35,071.73, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. The illegal take was in November 2023.
Restitution increased to $39,696.73 when $4,625 was added for a second unlawfully taken buck during the 2023 hunting season.
In addition, Alexander, of Wilmington, must pay $1,000 in fines, $1,000 to the Turn In a Poacher program, $2,000 in restitution to media outlets, and all court costs.
Alexander was also sentenced to complete five years of community control (probation) and serve six months at STAR Community Justice Center, a locked-down community-based correctional facility.