Columbus men plead guilty to poaching charges

ODNR

COLUMBUS – An Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife poaching investigation, conducted in collaboration with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, resulted in a combined 40 guilty pleas from William I. Bethel, 28, of Columbus and Justin A. Booth, 23, of Columbus. The two central Ohio men were known on YouTube as Creek Kings Outdoors.

The investigation, which spanned more than a year, uncovered evidence of poaching by Booth and Bethel from 2019 through 2024 in Three Creeks Metro Park and on other properties where the men did not have permission to hunt. The pair’s YouTube channel featured videos of poached white-tailed deer. Among the violations, Bethel and Booth claimed to have harvested deer in Kentucky, but the investigation found those deer were unlawfully taken in Ohio.

Bethel and Booth were charged in September 2025 at the conclusion of the investigation. In May 2026, they each pleaded guilty to 20 counts and were ordered to pay a combined $29,219.32 in restitution. Their total financial penalties reached $37,051.32 after fines, fees, and court costs. Both men were ordered to serve nine days in jail during the upcoming 2026-27 hunting season, with an additional 531 days suspended. They were each placed on five years of reporting probation, during which time they are barred from Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks properties. Finally, their hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges were revoked for five years.

William I. Bethel’s guilty plea included 20 counts: 

Hunting deer without a permit (three counts)
Hunting deer in the closed season (three counts)
Failing to game check deer
Hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle
Hunting without permission (three counts)
Possessing deer taken illegally (two counts)
Possessing untagged deer parts (four counts)
Criminal trespass (three counts).

Justin A. Booth’s guilty plea included 20 counts:

Hunting deer without a permit
Hunting without permission (five counts)
Failing to game check deer (two counts)
Aiding a wildlife offender
Possessing untagged deer parts (two counts)
Possessing a deer taken illegally (three counts)
Taking more than one antlered deer in a license year
Obstructing official business
Criminal trespassing (four counts).

The resolution of this case would not have been possible without the joint efforts of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, the Ohio State Highway Patrol Computer Crimes Unit, and the assistant prosecutors of the Franklin County and City of Columbus prosecutors’ offices assigned to the Franklin County Environmental Court. The ODNR Division of Wildlife offers its heartfelt gratitude to the men and women of these agencies for their hard work, patience, and unwavering commitment to justice.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife is dedicated to enforcing laws that protect Ohio’s wildlife. Input and concern from the public are integral to those enforcement efforts. Anyone who witnesses a wildlife violation in Ohio can call the Turn in a Poacher hotline at 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437). Reports are kept anonymous. Information that results in conviction of a wildlife crime may result in a reward. 

Ohio wildlife officers have statewide authority to enforce wildlife regulations and protect state lands, waterways, and property. As state law enforcement officers, they contribute to public safety in their local areas and Ohio’s great outdoors. They also speak to hundreds of clubs and groups about conservation and wildlife programs, perform fish and wildlife surveys, and provide technical advice and instruction about wildlife management issues, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor related recreation. 

The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.