Stolen Fish & Wildlife Camera reveals alleged illegal fish takes on Eagle Creek
Photo courtesy of Oregon State Police
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Nov. 4, 2024 — It was a rough weekend for wildlife as the Oregon State Police stopped multiple illegal takes including 8 waterfowl, 4 trout and 5 steelhead, several Salmon and even responded to a minivan that struck a deer on Interstate 84.
But what appears to be the most egregious case was that of an alleged illegal fish take on Eagle Creek near the Columbia River which was verified after police located a stolen Fish & Wildlife camera taken from the area on Sept. 26, according to the Oregon State Police log.
“The last GPS location of the stolen camera led to a residence in the Portland area. The investigation then led to digital pictures and video evidence being provided of a male subject removing the cable-locked camera from a tree,” the report says.
“Additional video evidence shows the subject unlawfully take two Salmon and or Steelhead from the mouth of Eagle Creek. The subject is not a licensed angler within Oregon. One video recording captured the same subject snagging and then killing what appeared to be a Steelhead. Witness statements reported the same subject unlawfully took five or six Salmon and or Steelhead during this incident in total. The subject who stole the camera and unlawfully took the fish is avoiding law enforcement contact and not returning calls,” the report states.
Sylvestr Fortuna, 38, of Portland was arrested acccording to the report and Daniel Herman, 28, of Vancouver is a suspect in the case
Charges of second-degree theft, take/ possession of foul-hooked fish, fishing without a license, fishing for salmon without a harvest tag and fishing without a North Columbia River endorsement have been forwarded to the Multnomah County District Attorney.
Oregon State Police Log Nov. 1 through Nov. 3, 2024
Wasco County Sheriff Log Nov. 1 Through Part of Nov. 3, 2024
