The 3 servicemen on the chopper were ultimately charged in Sweet Grass County Court with trespassing. They all pleaded innocent. Today, pilot Deni Draper altered his plea to “no contest,” permitting sentencing to move forward without a trial (however without in fact confessing regret).

According to regional reporting, district attorneys had proof that “no trespassing indications were published on McMullen’s residential or commercial property” which “Draper confessed to Montana video game warden Austin Kassner that he piloted the helicopter and chose to land it.” In addition to the next-door neighbor’s testament, “helicopter tire imprints and exhaust marks in the turf” existed at the website of the supposed landing.

The judge has actually accepted the modification of plea and hit Draper with a $500 fine– the optimum charge. Long as Draper remains out of problem for the next 6 months, he will prevent additional fines and prison time.

When it comes to the antlers themselves, they are presently held by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks however might return to McMullen as soon as cases versus the other 2 servicemembers are fixed.

Update: According to a report today in the Livingston Enterprise, this is not the very first time Montana National Guard airplane have actually stopped to take antlers.

“By method of a comprehensive questions, we can validate separated occurrences of gathering antlers (with a military airplane) have actually taken place formerly,” Lt. Col. Thomas Figarelle of the Montana National Guard informed the paper.

Figarelle included that the Guard has actually now clearly prohibited this sort of activity. “(The Montana Army National Guard) provided clear instructions no antler gathering of any type is licensed,” he included. “This is abuse of federal government home irregular with our requirements. We are not going to endure it.”