The investigation comes after two competitors were allegedly caught cheating by adding weights and fish fillets to their catch.
CLEVELAND — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources told 3News that their staff is preparing a report for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office regarding controversy at a fishing tournament in Cleveland last week.
The situation, which has since gained national attention, centers around competitors Jake Runyan and Chase Kominsky after video shows scales and fish fillets were allegedly discovered inside their catch.
Here’s the full statement from ODNR, which 3News obtained Tuesday morning:
On Friday, September 30, 2022, ODNR wildlife officers responded to a walleye tournament on Lake Erie after being contacted by tournament organizers. Officers collected evidence and are preparing a report for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
As this is an open investigation, we have no further comment at this time.
A video of the weighted fish controversy that has been circulating on social media since late last week can be seen on Twitter below:
PRIOR COVERAGE: Cleveland fishing tournament ends in controversy: winners caught with zander weights
During our original coverage of this story, 3News spoke with criminal defense attorney Adam Vanhoe, who is also an avid fisherman.
“We call it ‘theft by deception,’ which is basically that you’re trying to steal something by doing what you’re passing on to someone else,” Wang Ho said.
Editor’s note: The video in the player above was originally published in our previous coverage of this story on October 1, 2022.
Tournament director Jason Fisher of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail also made the announcement Monday in a video statement posted to Facebook.
“On Friday, we witnessed one of the most despicable acts the fishing world has ever seen,” he said. “Such behavior will not be tolerated.”
Fisher also said that he passed on the information about the incident to the employees of ADNR.
“Seeing so much negative light on our sport hurts me to the core,” Fisher said.
https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/cleveland-fishing-tournament-cheating-scandal-ohio-department-of-natural-resources-investigation-prosecutors/95-170d86f2-2e0f-4df4-81a2-20cd9429e155
