Anchorage, Alaska – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Feldis announced that a Florida man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage, to pay a fine of $50,000 for one felony count of violating the Lacey Act and one felony count of identity theft; pay $15,150 in restitution to Cabela’s, Inc.; and, pay $1,300 in restitution to the State of Alaska.

On August 11, 2011, Jack Vincent Dickerson, 36, a resident of Spring Hill, Florida, pled guilty and was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge H. Russel Holland, to one felony count of violating the Lacey Act and one felony count of identity theft. Dickerson was placed on three years probation with a condition that he not hunt, guide or transport anyone in connection with hunting. He is also required to forfeit his .416 Ruger hunting rifle and the brown bear rug.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Skrocki, the investigation revealed that Dickerson was an experienced hunter who had hunted in Alaska in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, Dickerson legally killed a brown bear in Game Management Unit 9 (GMU9) while on a guided hunt. After taking a bear, Dickerson was prohibited from hunting bear in the same unit for the next four years. The following year, in order to kill a trophy bear, Dickerson applied for an online hunting license and brown bear tag by falsely using the name of a friend and business associate. Dickerson illegally acquired the license and booked another brown bear hunt for GMU 9. On May 10, 2008, while hunting with an assistant guide, Dickerson shot at and mortally wounded a brown bear. The bear was not located by Dickerson and the guide after it was shot.

Court records show that in June, 2008, Dickerson again used the name of his friend in applying for an online Alaska big game hunting license and tag. After fraudulently acquiring the license, Dickerson then booked a guided Alaska brown bear hunt for the fall 2009 hunting season in GMU 9. On both occasions, Dickerson’s friend was unaware of the use of his name. On October 1, 2009, Dickerson, hunting under a false name, illegally killed a female brown bear while again hunting in GMU 9, in violation of the Lacey Act. Dickerson ultimately had the bear hide made into a rug by a taxidermist which was delivered to his home under his false identity.

After the 2009 hunt, Dickerson, using his false identity, complained to Cabela's Outdoor Adventures about the quality of his illegal brown bear hunt taken that year. Dickerson stated, under his false name, that he wanted a 10-foot trophy male. After Dickerson complained to Cabela’s about his hunt, he informed his credit card company that the charges made on his card were not authorized by him, and were made without his knowledge. Dickerson’s credit card company charged back the fees from Cabela’s in an amount of $15,150.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this case with the assistance of the Alaska State Wildlife Troopers.

Return to Top