re: LDWF Agents Investigating Trees Cut Down on Spring Bayou WMA

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Got word that someone turned themselves in. $1 million restitution, replanting trees, jail time and no hunting/fishing for life.

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Attorney statement Savoy’s attorney, Mark Jeansonne, said this is a “perfect example of what vicious rumors can do. Rick Savoy is not guilty of the charges. Due to the second-hand rumors that were circulating, he offered to sit with LDWF agents and give possible leads several weeks ago. Instead of accepting that offer, LDWF agents executed both a search warrant and an arrest warrant on Friday, March 6. Instead of first executing a search warrant, to understand what may or may not be, they chose to immediately arrest my client.” Jeansonne said the LDWF seized a GPS unit during the search, but he said his client only uses the GPS when he hunts squirrels.

Agents also seized Savoy’s camouflaged hunting suit, telling him that “someone saw you” cutting the trees while wearing the distinctive hunting suit, Jeansonne said. Agents did not identify the alleged witness. LDWF also seized Savoy’s cellphone, which Jeansonne said will show Savoy has a very busy business. “It may ‘ping’ at Spring Bayou, because Rick has a camp there,” Jeansonne said. “There are hundreds or thousands of other Avoyelles residents whose phones will ‘ping’ there. There are quite a few individuals who care to point a finger at Rick, yet their phones will ping at the same location -- Spring Bayou Wildlife Management Area.” LDWF agents seized two power saws from Savoy during their search. Jeansonne said one has been broken for several years and the other is not capable of the type of cutting done in the Spring Bayou case. Other items seized in the search include a Go-Pro camera and a 4-wheeler Savoy and others used for deer hunting and removing deer stands after the season ended, Jeansonne said.

“The public needs to understand, Rick is a businessman and an arrest is nothing more than an allegation,” Jeansonne said. “Several years ago, Rick and others made public statements that they hoped that area would become a ‘paddle only’ zone. He spoke on the issue at an LDWF meeting, but spoke for approximately 15 others -- some of whom were at the meeting. Because of this, he became a target of suspicion and rumor. He hopes the LDWF agents solve the case, as everyone else does, and hopes for a quick resolution of this matter.”

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Doing criminal defense. Interesting.

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Keith Savoy?

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