This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Four Emery County boys have been convicted of killing more than a dozen deer by shooting them and hitting them with cars.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) on Wednesday published a news release about the June conviction after the community started asking questions about the case.

The minors killed at least 19 deer between December 2015 and January 2016, the DWR said. There may be several more injured deer that weren't found.

"The community helped out quite a bit with the investigation," DWR Officer James Thomas said. "A lot of the sportsmen came up and looked for deer that had been killed.

"They're pretty passionate about wildlife, and a lot of people in the community wanted to help somehow."

The four were charged in 7th District Juvenile Court with intentionally hitting deer with a car and leaving the deer after shooting them.

One youth was convicted on third-degree felony wanton destruction of protected wildlife and four misdemeanors: shooting a firearm from a vehicle, aggravated animal abuse, waste of protected wildlife and spotlighting, which is a method of hunting nocturnal animals that includes shining a high-powered light. He was ordered to pay at least $550 in fines and $6,000 to the Help Stop Poaching (HSP) Program. He also was sent to juvenile detention. The state seized his rifle and suspended his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 13 years, according to DWR.

A second juvenile also was charged with third-degree felony wanton destruction of protected wildlife and sent to juvenile detention. The judge ordered him to pay at least $550 in fines and $1,200 to the HSP program. His hunting, fishing and furbearer licenses will be suspended for seven years, according to DWR.

The third and fourth juveniles were charged with one count of wanton destruction of protected wildlife, a class A misdemeanor, and one count each of waste of protected wildlife, a class B misdemeanor. Each was ordered to pay a fine and $400 to HSP. Their big-game hunting privileges will be suspended for three years, according to DWR.

The Salt Lake Tribune does not generally identify juveniles charged with crimes unless they have been certified to stand trial in adult court.

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