June 24, 2009
MINNESOTA HUNTER FINED $2,000 FOR ILLEGAL ONTARIO RESIDENT LICENCES AND PERMITS
A Minnesota man has been fined $2,000 for possessing or using a number of Ontario resident licences and permits.
Joseph Angelo Butera, of International Falls, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to one amended charge that combined all or portions of 12 charges against him addressing the primary issue of his residency status. In addition to the fine, he is also prohibited from hunting in Ontario for two years.
Court heard that in 2001, Butera obtained a Canadian Permanent Resident Card from Canada Border Services Agency when he married a Canadian resident. He lived in Fort Frances until 2005, when he moved to Minnesota. After moving, Butera occasionally stayed at his property on Big Sawbill Lake, north of Fort Frances, where he owned two other properties, one of which had a permanent housing structure. Between May 24 and December 13, 2006, Butera possessed or used the Ontario resident licences and permits he unlawfully obtained in the Town of Fort Frances by using either a Fort Frances or Big Sawbill Lake address.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers conducted their investigation with the assistance of Canada Border Services Agency, Ontario Provincial Police, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Justice of the Peace Tom Logan heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Fort Frances, on June 12, 2009.
For the purposes of obtaining an Ontario resident hunting and fishing licence, a resident is a person whose primary residence is Ontario, and who has resided in Ontario for a period of six consecutive months during the previous 12 months.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).