Naples man sentenced for illegal cat hunt

A 50-year-old Naples man was sentenced to five years of probation and a five-year hunting ban for violating the Lacey Act, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced Wednesday.

Tod S. Navarro also was ordered to serve 50 hours of community service by U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge. He pleaded guilty to the charge on April 28.

According to the plea agreement, Navarro admitted that he and his co-defendants took three North Dakota men hunting for mountain lions.

The North Dakota hunters did not have Idaho permits or tags. Navarro and two co-defendants put their tags on the mountain lions killed by the North Dakota hunters.

The case was investigated by Idaho Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.