Mich. man ordered to pay $75,000 in poaching case

8/16/2013

CORUNNA, Mich. — A Shiawassee County man has been ordered to pay the state $75,000 in restitution for his role in a poaching case.

In a news release today, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says Brian Birchmeier had been facing 125 misdemeanor charges related to poaching deer and turkey.

The 51-year-old from Owosso Township pleaded no contest to three counts of take and/or possess deer/bear/turkey and one licensing violation count. A no-contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing.

Birchmeier was sentenced Monday. In addition to the restitution requirement, he had his hunting privileges revoked for the remainder of this year and the next three years.

The DNR says conservation officers last year found Birchmeier had parts of more than 100 animals, including deer and turkey.