Walleye Cheaters Plead Guilty

[HD]

Walleye Cheaters Plead Guilty



Remember those two guys caught red-handed cheating in a walleye fishing tournament on Lake Erie? They pleaded guilty on Monday.

Jacob Runyan, 43, and Chase Cominsky, 36, were each indicted in October on felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools and a misdemeanor count of illegal animal ownership and initially pleaded not guilty.

As part of a plea deal, Runyan and Cominsky pleaded guilty to cheating and unlawful ownership of wild animals and both agreed to three-year suspensions of their fishing licenses. Cominsky also agreed to give up his bass boat worth as much as $100,000.

Prosecutors agreed to drop attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools charges.

Both men are scheduled to be sentenced May 11. Prosecutors plan to recommend a sentence of six months’ probation and later ask for an expungement of their convictions if they successfully complete their probation, said James Gallagher, an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor.

Cominsky has also be charged in two separate incidents since being charged for the cheating scandal. One for stalking his ex-wife and the other for providing his 18-year-old son with counterfeit money.

[LPS]

So in other words for trying to steal a lot of money. Like thousands of dollars, they get basically nothing.  I think the boat was the property of the manufacturer and they just took it back the next day. 

[glenn57]

Sounds like a couple weiners there.

[Steve-o]

Yeah, nothing about returning prize money from the other tournaments they supposedly won.   

You want to make a plea deal?  How 'bout you return all those other contest prizes and we won't throw you in jail.

[roony]

Hang em.

[LPS]

In the public square so people can video it.   

[Scenic]

"Both men are scheduled to be sentenced May 11. Prosecutors plan to recommend a sentence of six months' probation and later ask for an expungement of their convictions if they successfully complete their probation, said James Gallagher, an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor."

So after 6 months of probation this all goes off their records like it never happened?    What a slap on the wrist and just hope the judge goes against this. 

[glenn57]

yea pretty pathetic, kinda like the 2 teenagers in the cities, Hennepin cty i believe, sentenced to some juvenile program for killing a woman!!! 

[Pulleye16]

yeah, not sure why the prosecutors always takes these plea deals. They had them hook line and sinker...literally. It must be cheaper for "them" to except deals...what a joke.

[LPS]

May as well cheat if there are no penalties for it.  And yes a life isn't worth as much as one used to be I guess.  ????

[Steve-o]

I thought I read somewhere that they also lose their fishing (and maybe hunting?) license for 3 years.  Big deal.

I do think plea deal are cheaper for the tax payer.

In the old days, they might have prosecuted that case to make an example out of them, to deter other criminals - but perhaps with fewer people than ever who care about fishing and hunting - maybe the DA figured it wasn't worth the effort.

Plenty of people care about saving the earth right now, not so many of them see fishing and hunting fees and laws as part of that conservancy effort. 

[Leech~~]

I'm a bit confused. 
They were in a fishing contest where they legally could catch and have lawful ownership of the fish they caught. They were Not charged for what they were trying to gain by their cheating which was the theft of a vehicle and cash.      


As part of a plea deal, Runyan and Cominsky pleaded guilty to cheating and unlawful ownership of wild animals and both agreed to three-year suspensions of their fishing licenses. Cominsky also agreed to give up his bass boat worth as much as $100,000.

Prosecutors agreed to drop attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools charges.

[LPS]

The day after it happened it showed someone hooking up to his boat and said well he lost that sponsor. 

[Steve-o]

For as much as we all want to see these guys get what they got comin' to them...  I have to believe their fishing days on the pro contest circuit are done.  At least I hope they are.  I wouldn't have the cahones to show my face in those circles anymore after getting caught cheating.

[Steve-o]

The saga continues...   

Walleye-Stuffing Tournament Cheater Chase Cominsky Now Accused of Poaching Deer at Night

A criminal complaint filed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission Northwest and secured by The Herald says that game wardens were contacted on Nov. 25, 2022, by someone who knew Cominsky. They reported that Cominsky had harvested several deer illegally between 2013 and 2021.

Wardens followed up on these accusations and searched Cominsky’s home in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. They discovered five mounted bucks that had either been tagged in another person’s name or killed at night during that timeframe, according to NBC-4. All five of the deer would have been deemed illegal harvests anyways because, as wildlife officials pointed out in the criminal complaint, Cominsky has been banned from hunting in Pennsylvania since 2008 due to prior game-law violations.

Cominsky is scheduled to be arraigned in Mercery County Court on Nov. 14.

[mike89]

sadly I'm not all that surprised...  hang him...   

[Jrasmussen]

   I mean just wow!!! Unbelievable how big of a D bag this guy is. He needs a good azz whooping!

[Steve-o]

Not sure how they figured out how the bucks were killed at night.    Unless they confessed, that is pretty hard to prove. 

I guess the answer for Cominsky was...  If they take away my hunting license, I might as well go cheat in fishing tournaments.   

[LPS]

What a complete POS.  Doesn't seem like they do anything to deter him other than taking his license away.  That obviously doesn't bother him too much. Plus a slap on the hands for that walleye tourney issue.

[Steve-o]

... and you gotta figure...  for every guy like that they catch, how many other are out there like him?   

I hate to say it, but it is probably more than we'd care to admit.  I hope I'm wrong.