By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
KUOW radio reports a Randle man has pleaded guilty to poaching big leaf maple trees from U.S. Forest Service land.
Courtesy photo by U.S. Attorney’s Office
Ryan Justice, 28, was one of four Lewis County men indicted on theft and other federal crimes in a case involving illegal harvest and selling of the specialty wood.
News reporter Chris Lehman writes that on Thursday Justice admitted he cut maple trees in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and sold the wood to J & L Tonewoods a Winlock mill that specialized in “figured” maple for musical instruments.
The mill owner and two other alleged poachers were also charged in the case and have pleaded not guilty, according to Lehman.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.
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For background, read “Feds: Tree thieves and mill owner indicted for trafficking specialty maple from Gifford Pinchot” from Friday August 7, 2015, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter