Stealing and selling venison - caught in the act

[Curmudgeon]

This guy is in my neighborhood. He has had a reputation for years. It always surprised me how many people I knew continued to patronize him.

 

From today's The Daily Star Oneonta:

 

DEC says local man stole, sold deer meat

BY JESSICA REYNOLDS

Staff Writer

The owner and manager of an award-winning area butcher shop were arrested Tuesday after a two-year state investigation and an undercover purchase unveiled theft of venison products.

Joe Leonard, owner of South Edmeston meat-processing business Farmers Place, has been charged with stealing more than 3 tons of processed deer meat and venison products from customers, Department of Environmental Conservation officials told The Daily Star on Wednesday.

Members of the state DEC’s Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigation executed a search warrant Tuesday afternoon at the butcher shop, at 256 County Highway 20, and found more than 3,600 pounds of illegal venison product, according to Benning DeLaMater, public information officer at DEC headquarters in Albany.

DeLaMater said the investigation has been ongoing for two years.

Leonard, known locally as “The Deer Man,” is president of the New York State Association of Meat Processors Inc., according to the American Association of Meat Processors. The 73-year-old was charged with felony illegal commercialization of wildlife, felony grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal solicitation and felony firstdegree illegal scheme to defraud after he allegedly sold illegal venison products to undercover investigators, DeLaMater said.

New Berlin resident Tamra Hoag, 57, who is manager of Farmers Place, was charged with illegal commercialization of wildlife and first-degree illegal scheme to defraud, according to the DEC. Both were arraigned in the Edmeston Town Court and released on recognizance.

 

Leonard and Hoag could not be reached for comment Wednesday night, but The Daily Star has interviewed Leonard in the past about his venison processing, for which he has won many awards.

Farmers Place provides custom butchering, catering and retail sales, and customers include farmers and hunters. Products include hot dogs, sausages, jerky and more.

Leonard started processing venison in 1959, he told The Daily Star in November. When the meat-cutting business is busy, he typically cuts 50 deer a day, he said.

“Venison has always been a big thing for us,” Leonard said in the interview. “Sometimes hunters are lined up down both sides of the road. Last year, we took 400 deer in the first three days, and we do about 1,500 a year.”

Farmers Place has six or seven employees, Leonard said in November, but that number doubles in the autumn with an increase in work volume.

Leonard also told The Daily Star that he is the first and only U.S. meat processor to win the World Cup at the International Meat Trades Fair, the world’s largest meat competition.

In 2009, Meat & Poultry — an industry magazine available online and in print — interviewed Leonard about his trade. Leonard told the magazine that his meat career began at the age of 17, when he was hired by a Russian family in Oneonta that ran a meat market. It was there that he learned the importance of customer service, he said.

After five years at the shop, Leonard went to work for Grand Union, where he ran meat departments for 20 years, according to the article. In 1983, he started his South Edmeston shop.

DeLaMater said he could not elaborate on the undercover investigation. Further details will be available June 6, when Leonard and Hoag are due back in court, he said.
 

[Jeremy K]

Good ,let this be a lesson to the rest of them that skim.

[Marion]

I always wondered if my butcher was skimming. I highly doubt they are, but i did have a boar processed the pig was over 300 lbs on the hoof yet all i got was 50 lbs of meat. Go figure

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I've walked into tow butcher shops in the past and they each had a guy with a skillet frying backstraps and steaks. Whether it was the customers meat or not I didn't leave my deer at their places. 

[Jeremy K]

I've taken 2 completely diffrent size deer to the same guy ,got them both cut the same way and the same amount in return. Don't need the hassle of arguing over something that ultimately I couldn't prove ,I take my business else now.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

That's a pile of meat!

[Curmudgeon]

I've taken 2 completely diffrent size deer to the same guy ,got them both cut the same way and the same amount in return. Don't need the hassle of arguing over something that ultimately I couldn't prove ,I take my business else now.

 

He has a system: everyone gets the same amount of meat. It is kind of like socialism.

 

[DirtTime]

Sounds like the jerk got a few awards to go along with ripping people off. Should run for president.

 

I hope they at least enforce the fines and some jail time. 

[Curmudgeon]

I hope they order restitution to the people who paid for him to process their venison, which he stole and sold to others.

[SteveB]

The deer in the donation program all get ground and processor gets paid by the lb.

I know of one in the program where the backstraps and loins never make it to the grinder.

[WNYBuckHunter]

This is why I butcher my own deer.

[ants]

If any of you guys have got your May copy of "Meat and Poultry"  Don't tell me what the cover story is about…..I want it to be a surprise, when I open the mail box..

[Jaeger]

I know our local cutter keeps a clipboard of people who don't hunt and want/order venison from him.  It's illegal to do that.

 

He must get it from skimming off legitimate kills.  I know I brought him a doe that was 170lbs field dressed (still have the scale marker at that point, so far haven't hung any larger).  

 

I got 35lbs of meat back from that doe.  Can you guess where the rest of my venison went?  I do my own now.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I know our local cutter keeps a clipboard of people who don't hunt and want/order venison from him.  It's illegal to do that.

 

I don't think that would be illegal unless he was selling. Perfectly legal to give it away. 

[Core]

On 5/17/2016 at 8:46 AM, Jaeger said:

I know our local cutter keeps a clipboard of people who don't hunt and want/order venison from him.  It's illegal to do that.

 

He must get it from skimming off legitimate kills.  I know I brought him a doe that was 170lbs field dressed (still have the scale marker at that point, so far haven't hung any larger).  

 

I got 35lbs of meat back from that doe.  Can you guess where the rest of my venison went?  I do my own now.

Yeah that math seems bad. The place I'm going now I took two field dressed under 150 lb deer and got 53 lbs and 54 lbs respectively, of meat.

[Curmudgeon]

I don't  know what is going on with the case but he is still in business. I heard thru the grapevine that venison donation program deer were going in but the meat was not coming out. It seems he wasn't just skimming from  customers. 

[growalot]

Quote

I don't think that would be illegal unless he was selling. Perfectly legal to give it away. 

hahahahaha,....

Not if he's taking(stealing) it from legitimate hunters.

Ya and he is in business to cut up meat and give it away...Robin Hood...lol

[growalot]

Now all these customers that use him for regular butchering....can wonder just how much venison  they were eating in their ground beef....

Edited October 4, 2016 by growalot

[growalot]

Wow just did an edit and it went right through!

[fasteddie]

Your Double Posts are still coming through also .........

[The_Real_TCIII]

If any of you guys have got your May copy of "Meat and Poultry"  Don't tell me what the cover story is about…..I want it to be a surprise, when I open the mail box..

I just laughed out loud. LOL as the kids say

[the blur]

I just had a 600lb Elk butchered.     Ended up with 145lbs.     We figured it should have netted 200 lbs.   I'm sure the butcher is eating well, and 1/2 the town...................  oh well.   kinda disappointing, but somewhat expected.

[Zem18]

Never saw this when it was first posted. Amazing that he was charged with 3 felonies and a few misdemeanor charges as well and he is still in business. Guess he had a good lawyer or maybe they figured he's 73 and it won't be too much longer. Either way, something is fishy, or venisony.

[Curmudgeon]

17 hours ago, the blur said:

I just had a 600lb Elk butchered.     Ended up with 145lbs.     We figured it should have netted 200 lbs.   I'm sure the butcher is eating well, and 1/2 the town...................  oh well.   kinda disappointing, but somewhat expected.

I always figured 40% of live weight boned out. You should have had 200# for sure. Elk meat is really good. Bummer. Maybe time for a new butcher.

12 hours ago, Zem18 said:

Never saw this when it was first posted. Amazing that he was charged with 3 felonies and a few misdemeanor charges as well and he is still in business. Guess he had a good lawyer or maybe they figured he's 73 and it won't be too much longer. Either way, something is fishy, or venisony.

I don't think it has gone to trial. There has been nothing in the papers recently. I'm guessing he won't have as many customers bringing him deer this year.

[the blur]

On ‎10‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 9:51 AM, Curmudgeon said:

I always figured 40% of live weight boned out. You should have had 200# for sure. Elk meat is really good. Bummer. Maybe time for a new butcher.

Not much you can do when the Elk is out west.   1 butcher in town.    1 UPS store that will dry ice and ship it.   Towns are 30 miles apart.    I'm sure the UPS store is eating well too.    The only way is to stay out there, watch the butcher, and personally watch the UPS store until the carton is taped closed, and on it's way.

I thought of taking the meat home on the plane, but that is not easy.