“Ghost Deer” operation in 2024 leaves two dozen suspects facing multiple felony charges. Half are from Jim Wells, Aransas, San Patricio and Nueces County.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An investigation uncovering several deer breeding violations has left 24 people facing several felony charges.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife said an operation in 2024 known as “Ghost Deer” discovered deer breeding violations in regular and white-tail deer between facilities and ranches, violations of Chronic Wasting Disease testing regulations, license violations, and misdemeanor and felony drug charges relating to the possession and mishandling of prescribed sedation drugs classified as controlled substances.
The Texas Game Warden said this operation is one of Texas’s most extensive deer breeding operations. The investigation began when wardens discovered the first violation during a traffic stop in March 2024 in Montgomery County, and initiated an investigation.
The suspects charged in the case are:
- Evan Bircher, 59, San Antonio
- Vernon Carr, 55, Corpus Christi
- Jarrod Croaker, 47, Corpus Christi
- Terry Edwards, 54, Angleton
- Joshua Jurecek, 41, Alice
- Justin Leinneweber, 36, Orange Grove
- James Mann, 53, Odem
- Gage McKinzie, 28, Normanna
- Herbert “Tim” McKinzie, 47, Normanna
- Eric Olivares, 47, Corpus Christi
- Bruce Pipkin, 57, Beaumont
- Dustin Reynolds, 38, Robstown
- Kevin Soto, 55, Hockley
- Jared Utter, 52, Pipe Creek
- Reed Vollmering, 32, Orange Grove
- Clint West, 56, Beaumont
- James Whaley, 49, Sevierville, Tenn.
- Ryder Whitstine, 19, Rockport
- Ryker Whitstine, 21, Rockport
- Claude Wilhelm, 52, Orange
TPWD said 64-year-old Ken Schlaudt of San Antonio, the owner of four deer breeding and one release site, along with facility manager 55-year-old Bill Bowers of San Angelo, turned themselves in on charges of felony tampering with a governmental record.
Wardens accuse both of entering false information into the Texas Wildlife Information Management System to facilitate illegal smuggling of white-tailed breeder deer. They face more than 100 misdemeanor charges related to unlawful breeder deer activities in Tom Green County.