May 14th, 2025 - On April 10th, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Officers, Matt Roberts and Isaiah Gifford, were awarded the Pope and Young Wildlife Law Enforcement Award at the 34th Biennial Pope & Young Convention.
This award acknowledges a wildlife law enforcement officer for outstanding work related to wildlife violations in regard to Pope and Young’s 29 recognized big game species.
On November 9, 2023, Christopher Alexander shot a deer with a crossbow and then set out to create a story to hide the fact that it was shot on private property that he did not have permission to hunt. He staged it to look like he took it on his sister’s property with the help of two other conspirators, brothers Corey and Zachery Haunert. The deer was seized the following month, but for roughly a year he kept to his version of the story. Through cell phone records and metadata, Officers Roberts and Gifford’s dedicated investigation proved his story was a lie.
"This case was directly impacted by the help of our TIP Program "Turn in a Poacher" said Isaiah Gifford, Ohio Division of Wildlife Officer. "The information that came in really helped get the investigation going and kept getting us closer to finishing up the case."
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said of the case: “Hunting in Ohio is a time-honored tradition, and there is a proper way to be safe and successful. When bad actors like these guys try to cheat the system, it ruins the reputation of Ohio’s respected sportsman and women – I cannot stand for that.” Alexander was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 90 days suspended, ordered to pay $39,696.73 to the Ohio Wildlife Fund, $2000 restitution to KSE Sportsman Media, $1000 to the Ohio TIP (Turn in Poacher) hotline and a $1000 wildlife fine and court costs. His hunting license is revoked for a minimum of 10 years and if full restitution has not been made by then, the license remains revoked until payment is made in full.
"This wasn't just Isaiah and I, this took an entire team of people to close the case and get justice" stated Matt Roberts, Ohio Division of Wildlife Officer. "There is only one officer per county in the state of Ohio, so when it comes to a complex case like this, we rely on each other to help solve these cases."
Pope & Young will be donating $1,000 to Ohio’s TIP in the name of Roberts and Gifford.
About Pope and Young:
The Pope and Young Club is North America's leading voice and supporter of bowhunting and related conservation issues and projects. If you are a fair chase, ethical bowhunter, and you care about preserving, protecting, and promoting the culture and future of bowhunting, then you should belong to the Pope and Young Club. Join today at www.pope-young.org.