Five people have been convicted following a multi-year investigation into illegal moose hunting in northwestern Ontario.
Between 2020 and 2022, conservation officers, as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources Intelligence and Investigations Services, focused their investigation on illegal hunting activity in a remote location north of Pickle Lake.
Paul Markewycz, of Mississauga, unlawfully discharged a firearm from a motorboat at a bull moose on the Otoskwin River, the ministry stated in a news release.
Court also heard Miroslaw Markewycz, of Mississauga, invalidated his tag on an illegal moose harvested by another member of his hunting group when he was not present.
Michael Lamanna, of Milton, and Mississauga residents Piotr Markewycz and Vitaliy Shevchenko were all found to have made false and misleading statements to conservation officers during the investigation.
Paul Markewycz pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a motorboat. He was fined $20,000 and was issued a three-year hunting licence suspension. His prior big-game hunting violation record was taken into consideration when the penalty was imposed.
Miroslaw Markewycz pleaded guilty to unlawfully invalidating a tag with respect to an animal killed by another person. He was fined $2,000 and given a two-year hunting licence suspension.
Piotr Markewycz pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He received $6,000 in fines and was given a one-year hunting licence suspension.
Shevchenko pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $5,000 and received a one-year hunting licence suspension.
Lamanna pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $4,000 and his hunting licence has been suspended for a year.
The case was heard virtually by Justice Nancy Tulloch in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Dec. 2.
