Key takeaways:
- Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky have pleaded guilty to charges of cheating and unlawful ownership of wild animals.
- As part of a plea deal, they agreed to three-year suspensions of their fishing licenses and to pay a fine of $1,000 each.
- The cheating allegations surfaced when tournament Director Jason Fischer became suspicious of the fish they turned in.
Two men accused of cheating in an Ohio fishing tournament last fall have pleaded guilty to charges of cheating and unlawful ownership of wild animals.
Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky, both of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively, were accused of stuffing their fish with lead weights and fish fillets in an attempt to win the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament in September 2022.
As part of a plea deal, Runyan and Cominsky agreed to three-year suspensions of their fishing licenses and to pay a fine of $1,000 each. The Cuyahoga County Office of the Prosecutor accepted the plea deal in open court on Monday.
The cheating allegations surfaced when tournament Director Jason Fischer became suspicious when the fish turned in by the two men were significantly heavier than typical walleye. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the fish had been stuffed with lead weights and fish fillets.
The two men have now pleaded guilty to cheating and the unlawful ownership of wild animals during the tournament. It is unclear what other consequences they may face. The tournament director has not yet commented on the incident.
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