In New Hampshire, three men admitted killing 41 protected bobcats, then sending pelts to Canada
Three men pleaded guilty to federal wildlife-trafficking charges after prosecutors said they helped bait, kill, and move pelts from at least 41 protected bobcats from New Hampshire through New York to a Canadian fur auction.
The case is the latest chapter in what officials have described as one of New Hampshire's biggest poaching cases.
Here's what to know
Prosecutors brought the case under the Lacey Act, a 126-year-old federal law that prohibits transporting illegally harvested wildlife across state or international borders, New Hampshire Public Radio reported . In the case, Randy Inman, Sherwood Dubrey Jr., and Sherwood Dubrey Sr. pleaded guilty to federal wildlife-trafficking charges linked to the killing of dozens of bobcats in New Hampshire.
According to federal investigators, Inman and Dubrey Jr. illegally killed at least 41 bobcats protected under New Hampshire law. Officials said bait piles set on private property and state land were used to draw in the animals before they were shot.
Authorities say the pelts then went to Dubrey Sr. in New York, where he put false New York tags on them to make it appear the bobcats had been legally harvested there before shipping the pelts to Canada for auction.
More background
These guilty pleas stem from "Operation Night Cat," an investigation by New Hampshire Fish and Game, according to NHPR. The inquiry found that five men, including Inman and Dubrey Jr., killed dozens of animals by hunting at night, taking them out of season, or using illegal baiting methods.
Investigators said Inman alone illegally killed at least 20 animals, including foxes, coyotes, and bobcats. The conduct broke New Hampshire's wildlife-management rules and what many hunters consider fair-chase standards.
Inman and Dubrey Jr. are former corrections officers at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men. The investigation also turned up evidence of possible crimes involving prison staff, including messages that allegedly showed Inman, a former prison supervisor, trading pills for cash in the prison parking lot.
What's being done?
The federal case targets the trafficking part of the alleged scheme under the Lacey Act.
State authorities had already secured convictions in the case. Inman and Dubrey Jr. were found guilty in 2024 of several related offenses after the Operation Night Cat investigation documented illegal nighttime hunting, out-of-season killing, and baiting.
"The people of New Hampshire have enacted hunting laws that conserve our resources and define our sense of fair play. Baiting and poaching dozens of bobcats for profit disregards that democratic consensus and the duty of sportsmanship shown by New Hampshire's hunters," Erin Creegan, U.S. attorney for the District of New Hampshire, said, according to NHPR. "Crossing state or international lines will not protect poachers from accountability for their actions."
Where can I learn more?
These related articles show how this case fits into a broader pattern of poaching and wildlife-smuggling investigations, including others that crossed state or national borders.
• In Pennsylvania, wardens uncovered a disturbing poaching ring spanning multiple counties after a routine check.
• Texas officials dismantled the state's largest-ever smuggling ring after tracking a sprawling ghost-deer trafficking scheme.
• U.S. officials flagged an emerging trend of traffickers exploiting CITES permits and paperwork loopholes.
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