Sunflower County Hunter Sentenced For Baiting Ducks With Corn

Roger D. Latham, 47, of Flowood, Miss., pled guilty on Dec. 17, before United States Magistrate Judge David A. Sanders, in Aberdeen to Taking Migratory Birds by the Aid of Bait.

The guilty plea arose out of an investigation which determined that Latham was paying to have shelled corn placed on one or more duck impoundments in Sunflower County owned by Latham, for the purpose of attracting migratory birds for Latham to hunt. The specific charge to which Latham plead guilty pertained to a hunt on Jan. 13, 2013, in which Latham was found hunting on one of his baited duck impoundments.

Following his guilty plea Latham was ordered to pay a fine of $5,000, including associated fees and court costs. Latham was further placed on probation for a period of two years, and, as a condition of his probation, Latham will be prohibited from hunting in any manner, anywhere in the world, during the course of his two-year probationary period.

“We are committed to working with Mississippi and its citizens to conserve and protect waterfowl and other wildlife,” said United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Santiago. “Our collective efforts help ensure that these resources will be here for future generations of fair chase hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.”

This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and investigative support was granted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks and the National Wildlife Refuge Division of Law Enforcement.

Courtesy of Linda B. King, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Mississippi