2 admit to illegally selling deer meat

Nearly 700 pounds of deer meat was donated to a nonprofit in Piqua that feeds the hungry as part of a sentence for two men who admitted to  selling the meat in violation of Ohio Administrative Code, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife said Monday.

Miami County Municipal Judge Elizabeth Gutmann ordered that 521 packages and 698 pounds of deer meat seized during the execution of a search warrant by state wildlife division investigators be donated to Bethany Center in Piqua, an ecumenical organization that runs a soup kitchen, food pantry and clothing bank.

Jack W. Orth, 68, of New Carlisle, owner and operator of Happy Jack’s Deer Processing, 8678 E. Walnut Grove Road, pleaded guilty on Dec. 19 to single counts of selling deer meat and failing to keep accurate records.

An undercover division of wildlife investigator bought deer summer sausage and trail sticks at the facility on multiple visits, according to ODNR. A large amount of meat in various stages of processing, records and a computer were seized in the search warrant executed at Happy Jack’s, according to the division of wildlife.

Benjamin J Campbell, 25, of Huber Heights also pleaded guilty to the sale of deer meat. He was fined $25 plus court costs in Municipal Court by Judge Mel Kemmer.

Orth was fined $50 on each count plus court costs, and ordered to make $350 restitution and that the seized packages and unprocessed deer meat be donated to Bethany Center. The 521 packages of deer trail sticks and summer sausage, as well as 698 pounds of ground venison, were donated to the center on Jan. 13, according to ODNR.

ODNR said anonymous tips from concerned hunters sparked the undercover investigation that led to the seizure of the illegally sold meat. ODNR encourages hunters to report suspected wildlife violations through its Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) Program. The program, established in 1982, has a toll-free phone number (1-800-762-2437) from anywhere in Ohio to report suspected wildlife violations.