Dyer outfitters' animal parts case sees 4 guilty pleas as part of deal

A Plaster Rock manfacing a variety of charges related to illegal hunting and possession of animal parts changed his plea to guilty on four of those charges Monday, in exchange for a deal that will see charges against his wife, son and an employee withdrawn.

Daniel Dyer, owner and operator of Lawrence Dyer & Sons Outfitters, pleaded guilty to a pair of Jan. 20, 2015, charges, including illegally possessing moose meat and portions of a moose carcass. He also pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a portion of a bear carcass and bear bacula the bone found in a bear's penis.

On behalf of Dyer, lawyer Peter MacPhail also entered guilty pleasMonday to a pair of illegal hunting charges, including unlawfully offering to purchase hunting rights and hunting moose without a licence on Sept. 7, 2014.

Dyer not present

Dyer was not present in Edmundston provincial court when his pleas were changed.His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 20, 2017.

The Crown stated that charges involving the illegal possession of hundreds of black bear gall bladders, moose antlers and deer heads would be put on hold and "possibly withdrawn." Those charges are scheduled to be dealt with at Dyer's March 20court appearance.

Prosecutors may also drop charges of illegally hunting moose on four other days in September 2014, according to Crown representative Charles Couturier.

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"Those charges will also be on hold or possibly withdrawn," said Couturier, who stood in for Crown lawyer Karen Lee, who could not make it to proceedings because of weather conditions. "More will be decided in March."

Charges possibly dropped

The court heard that a series of similar charges against Daniel Dyer's wife, Kimberly, and son Christopher may also be dropped when court reconvenes for sentencing.

"The Crown has intent to withdraw charges against Kim and Christopher," said Couturier. "That is expected to be dealt with in March."

The Crown has intent to withdraw charges against Kim and Christopher.- Charles Couturier, Crown representative

Kimberly Dyer faces one count of illegal moose hunting. The court heard that she had not yet entered a plea, nor found legal counsel, for the September 2014 charge.

Dyer's son Christopher is charged with illegal moose hunting, hunting at night, hunting without a hunter's orange garments and having a loaded firearm in a vehicle. He is also charged with illegally possessing a moose carcass.

"The rest will be dealt with later," said MacPhail, who identified himself as a friend of the court representing the Dyers. MacPhail entered Dyer's guilty pleas in court Monday.

Other charges dealt with in March

Todd Daye, a senior hunting guide for Lawrence Dyer & Sons Outfitters,was in court on Monday. He faces 19 related charges of illegal hunting of moose, hunting at night, hunting without hunter's orange garments and illegally being in possession of a moose carcass. Those charges are also set to be dealt with on March 20.

Daniel Dyer was charged with in March 2015 following a year-long undercover operation by what was known then as the Department of Natural Resources.

That investigation led to63 charges against the three members of the Dyer family, Daye, and hunter David Bowen of West Virginia. Bowen faced 20 counts of illegally hunting moose, hunting at night, and possessing loaded firearms in a vehicle.

Court documents also revealed a detailed and exotic list of the animal parts that were allegedly seized from Lawrence Dyer & Sons Outfitters following the execution of a search warrant in 2015. They include:

• 438 pounds of meat
• 378 bear gall bladders
• An alligator head
• Five bear penises displayed on a board
• A walrus penis
• A variety of other deer and moose parts including heads and partial carcasses