Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Wash. hunter pleads guilty to wolf poaching conspiracy

A Twisp, Washington man has changed his plea to guilty in a high-profile federal wolf poaching case. As part of a plea agreement, the 62-year-old man will not go to prison.

The lack of jail time greatly disappoints a conservation group.

Last year, federal prosecutors filed a dozen charges against Bill White and his son and daughter-in-law. The indictment alleged that in 2008 and 2009, the father and son killed at least five federally-protected wolves from the first confirmed pack to reestablish in Washington state.

The poaching conspiracy began to unravel when police intercepted a FedEx package dripping blood. It contained a fresh wolf pelt. Now Bill White has pleaded guilty to three related charges, while nine others were dropped.

Prosecution and defense agreed on a proposed sentence of three years probation, a $38,500 fine, and no jail time. The director of the pro-wolf group Conservation Northwest says he's dismayed by the lack of jail time. 

"It feels like a punch in the gut," Mitch Friedman said.

Federal charges are still pending against the other members of the White family.

Correspondent Tom Banse is an Olympia-based reporter with more than three decades of experience covering Washington and Oregon state government, public policy, business and breaking news stories. Most of his career was spent with public radio's Northwest News Network, but now in semi-retirement his work is appearing on other outlets.