POCATELLO, Idaho – Three people were indicted Wednesday on multiple counts related to illegal big game outfitting and the guiding of mountain lions.
Chad Michael Kulow, 44, and Andrea May Major, 44, both from Kuna, Idaho, along with LaVoy Linton Eborn, 47, of Paris, Idaho, face various charges connected to illegal hunting practices. A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment on Aug. 27, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
Kulow faces 12 charges, including one felony conspiracy count and 11 counts under the Lacey Act, which governs wildlife trafficking. Major is charged with seven counts, including one count of conspiracy and six Lacey Act violations. Eborn faces eight counts, comprising one conspiracy charge and seven Lacey Act violations.
The indictment alleges that in late 2021, while working as licensed guides, the three conspired to operate illegally by booking mountain lion hunts independently. They allegedly accepted direct payments and guided hunts in southeastern Idaho and Wyoming, circumventing the licensed outfitting service they were supposed to be affiliated with.
According to the charges, their actions resulted in the illegal killing of at least 11 mountain lions, including a record-setting lion in Wyoming. The defendants are accused of submitting false reports to Idaho Fish and Game, misrepresenting outfitter information, and shipping mountain lions directly to Texas without proper documentation.
Kulow and Major were arrested on Sept. 24, while Eborn was taken into custody the following day. They each made their initial court appearances in late September, pleading not guilty before a judge.
A jury trial is scheduled for Nov. 18 in Pocatello. If convicted, the defendants could face up to five years in federal prison, fines of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
