Craig Daily Press

Craig — The 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Craig has filed additional charges against two Moffat County ranchers previously charged with felony and misdemeanor wildlife crimes.

Rodney Culverwell, 41, and Kenneth Wolgram, 43, each were initially charged April 1.

Culverwell was charged with 18 counts of willful destruction of wildlife, a Class 5 felony, and 18 counts of illegal possession of wildlife, a misdemeanor.

Wolgram was charged with 16 counts of each of the same charges.

In Culverwell’s case, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jer­emy Snow filed 72 additional charges, which were 18 misdemeanor counts of hunting without a license, 18 misdemeanor counts of hunting out of season, 18 misdemeanor counts of failing to dress wildlife and 18 sentence enhancer counts for illegal possession of wildlife.

Deputy District Attorney Ed Veronda filed 19 additional charges against Wolgram, which were 16 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 6 felony, and three counts of tampering with physical evidence, also a Class 6 felony.

The District Attorney’s Office charged both men after investigations by Colorado Division of Wildlife officers earlier this year.

DOW search warrant affidavits filed in the Moffat County Courthouse state DOW officers found dead elk on each man’s property on multiple occasions.

Possible penalties

for new charges

Culverwell faces new misdemeanor charges, as well as sentence enhancer charges, which are aggravating circumstances that increase penalties if they are proven at trial.

In this case, Colorado statutes say that a person found guilty of illegal possession of wildlife who possesses three or more animals faces a new maximum fine of up to $10,000 for each animal, or imprisonment for up to one year.

A person found guilty of illegally possessing three or more animals also may have hunting and fishing license privileges suspended for a period of one year to life.

Each count of hunting without a license and hunting out of season carry penalties of 15 license suspension points and a fine equal to two times the amount of the most expensive hunting license for the species taken.

Failure to dress charges each carry a $300 fine and 15 license suspension points.

Wolgram faces charges of two additional felony crimes.

Each count of aggravated cruelty and tampering in this case carries a possible range of one year to three years imprisonment, with a one-year mandatory parole period.

However, each aggravated cruelty count increases to a Class 5 felony if a person is convicted of two or more. In that case, each aggravated cruelty count carries a range of one to three years imprisonment, with a two-year mandatory parole period.

Trial dates

Culverwell, who is represented by Pamela Mackey of Denver, is scheduled for a jury trial at 8:15 a.m. Aug. 25 in District Court.

A motions hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 13. That date also is the deadline for Culverwell to enter into a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office, should he choose to do so.

Wolgram, defended by Krist­opher Hammond of Steamboat Springs, is scheduled for a jury trial Nov. 3. The date was reset to a later date because Judge Shelly Hill had a scheduling conflict.

A motions hearing in that case — which also marks Wolgram’s plea agreement deadline — is set for 8:30 a.m. June 25.