Two men accused of keeping illegal fish from the Allegheny River in Armstrong County could lose their fishing licenses for two years and be forced to pay thousands of dollars in fines.
A state Fish & Boat Commission officer said another fisherman called the commission May 7 to report that two men, later identified as Brad Daniel Kradel, 36, and David A. Dunmire, 19, both of Chicora, Butler County, were keeping fish that weren’t in season or were not long enough to legally keep.
Twenty-four charges were filed against the men in May.
Wildlife Conservation Officer Matthew Kaufmann said Kradel and Dunmire were licensed to fish, but they kept about five undersized walleye and more than 20 bass, which were out of season. The men were fishing near Lock and Dam No. 9 north of Tempelton in Armstrong County at the time.
“They were cooperative from the beginning. They didn’t hide anything, so we met them halfway,” Kauffman said Wednesday after a preliminary hearing for the men before Armstrong County District Judge James H. Owen.
In a plea bargain, three charges were withdrawn by Kauffman and the other charges were moved to nontraffic summary offenses. The men will be fined, Kaufmann said.
Owen’s staff said the men are facing fines of almost $2,000 each.
In addition to the fines, the men could lose their fishing licenses.
Kaufmann is recommending that the commission ban the men from getting fishing licenses for two years.
Attempts to reach the men were unsuccessful. There was no attorney listed for them in court records.
