Two Sentenced for Conducting Illegal “Canned” Hunts for Commercial Gain

SALT LAKE CITY-On Monday, a U.S. District Court Judge sentenced the last of two defendants, Kacey Alan Yardley, 47, of Enoch, Utah, for defrauding hunters by leading "canned" hunts for commercial gain, violating the Lacey Act.

Wade Lemon, 63, of Holden, Utah, was sentenced the previous week to two months imprisonment, ordered by the court to pay a $10,500 fine, and a one-year commercial ban on federal land.

Yardley was sentenced to six months' bench probation, after he pleaded guilty to his involvement in an illegal canned cougar hunt with Lemon.

According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Administrative rule R657-10, a canned hunt is where a cougar "is treed, cornered, held at bay or its ability to escape is otherwise restricted to allow a person who was not a member of the initial hunting party to arrive and take the cougar."

Because Lemon ran afoul of this state statute, he violated the Lacey Act, which makes it illegal to engage in any interstate commerce sales of wildlife acquired in violation of state law. Lemon's activities as the owner of Wade Lemon Hunting were deemed to have violated this federal Act, leading to the charges, conviction, and sentencing.

Beginning in 2020, the Utah Attorney General's Office led the investigation into Wade Lemon's offenses. Under the leadership of Chief Criminal Deputy Spence Austin and Chief of Investigations Leo Lucey, Special Agent Brent Kasza and his team worked tirelessly to ensure that Lemon was held accountable to state law.

The Utah Attorney General's Office is a committed steward of Utah's great public lands and wildlife.

Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah led the successful prosecution of the case.