Three Men Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Bobcat Poaching
The defendants killed 41 bobcats in New Hampshire to sell them on the international fur market.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Hunting
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Three men have pleaded guilty in federal court to violating the Lacey Act by illegally killing and exporting bobcats. The group poached at least 41 animals in New Hampshire between 2018 and 2022 to sell them at fur auctions in Canada.
Why it matters
The defendants exploited regulatory gaps by transporting pelts to New York to obtain fraudulent CITES tags. This scheme allowed them to misrepresent the origin of protected animals to profit from the international fur trade.
The defendants illegally poached 41 bobcats over a four-year period. Dubrey Jr. and Inman face a maximum prison term of five years, while Dubrey Sr. faces a maximum of one year.
The players
Sherwood Dubrey Jr.
He is one of the defendants who pleaded guilty to his role in the multi-year poaching scheme.
Randy Inman
He acted as a co-conspirator who used bait piles and rifles to illegally hunt bobcats.
Sherwood Dubrey Sr.
He is a defendant in the case who pleaded guilty to his participation in the illegal pelt export operation.
The details
The defendants utilized bait piles on public and private land to lure bobcats for shooting with scoped rifles. They recorded their actions in videos and text messages before laundering the pelts through New York to secure fraudulent international export tags.
Timeline
The illegal poaching activity occurred between 2018 and 2022.
The defendants pleaded guilty in federal court in September 2026.
The court will sentence the three men in January 2027.
Culture Shift
The prosecution follows the enforcement precedent of the 126-year-old Lacey Act, which is used to combat the illegal trafficking of wildlife products. This case highlights ongoing efforts by authorities to curb the illicit trade of protected species across state and international borders.
The illegal use of bait piles and firearms on both public and private land creates safety risks for residents using outdoor areas. These convictions reinforce the state's prohibition on bobcat hunting, ensuring local wildlife populations remain protected from poaching.
The takeaway
Illegal wildlife trade often relies on exploiting jurisdictional differences in animal protection laws. Conservation authorities emphasize that reporting suspicious hunting activity is essential to protecting state-regulated wildlife populations.
What happens next
The court will hold a sentencing hearing for the three defendants in January 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about regulations regarding wildlife protection in the Hunting section.
Live Poll
Do you believe current penalties for illegal wildlife poaching are sufficient to deter profit-driven crimes?
