white-tailed deer in fall field in rutt
The woman accused in the multi-county deer poaching scheme has pleaded not guilty.
36-year-old Jessica Kroening of Brownsville was in a Washington County courtroom yesterday for her initial appearance.
This plea of not guilty comes as she is facing charges of being a party to the Illegal Shining of Deer, Elk, or Bear, Intentional Contribution to the Delinquency of a Child, and Resisting a Conservation Warden.
According to Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt, Kroening is accused of traveling around with three 16-year-old boys at night, shooting deer, and identifying the gender before deciding to leave it to die.
The four have also been accused of sawing the heads off bucks and driving around, intentionally hitting deer in the roadways.
In total, over 100 deer were killed or mistreated in the poaching scheme, which occurred in the areas surrounding Campbellsport, West Bend, Kewaskum, Lomira, and Theresa.
Other animals said to be mistreated or killed by the four suspects include turtles, geese, raccoons, and possums.
Kroening will next be in court for a hearing on December 30th.
