State investigating other possible violations

A Lake County man pleaded not guilty Thursday to two felony charges related to the poaching of a moose.

Jesse Jacobs briefly was in the Lake County Sheriff's Office reserve training program, and his case has led to a broader investigation into potential game violations involving law enforcement officers in Lake County.

Jacobs made a brief appearance Thursday before Flathead District Judge Ted Lympus to respond to two counts of unlawful possession of a game animal - in this case, a moose that Jacobs allegedly shot in the Canyon Creek area north of Columbia Falls in 2005.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Warden Captain Lee Anderson said the Jacobs case "brought light" to possible violations committed by law enforcement personnel in Lake County.

"We've got an investigation going on into alleged illegal hunting activities in Lake County involving law enforcement," said Anderson, who would not comment on how many people might be involved.

"We're going to continue an investigation into these other activities and that's all I can tell you right now."

Court documents state that the Jacobs investigation started last March, prompted by an anonymous tip. Subsequent interviews with people familiar with Jacobs, including his ex-wife and a man who helped him retrieve the moose, led to the charges being filed Aug. 3.

Investigators contend that Jacobs shot the moose in 2005 when he did not have a permit, and afterwards contacted a Confederated Salish-Kootenai tribal member who did have a moose permit that he obtained.

Jacobs then allegedly returned to the kill site with another man and loaded the moose onto a truck. The meat reportedly was given to the tribal member and Jacobs took possession of the head and antlers, which he later turned into a European wall mount that he kept at his home until 2006, when he sold it to a relative.

After learning last year that the mount was illegally obtained, the relative returned the mount to Jacobs, court records state.

Jacobs faces one charge for possessing the moose in 2005 and another for possessing it in 2009 and 2010. They are felony charges because the moose is a game animal valued at more than $1,000.

If convicted, he faces possible fines of up to $100,000 and possible imprisonment of up to 10 years.

A Montana assistant attorney general is prosecuting the case because the Montana Department of Justice often handles cases when law enforcement personnel are involved to avoid potential conflicts of interest, a department spokeswoman said.

Lake County Sheriff Lucky Larson said Jacobs was only a few weeks into the department's reserve training program when he left. Larson said he could not comment on why Jacobs left the program.

Larson said he is aware of the broader investigation being conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, but he said he has "absolutely nothing to do with that."