Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Erman sentenced for viral altercation with hunter

On Monday, March 27, the Eddy County landowner whose verbal tirade against a group of hunters went viral pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and interference with rights of hunters.

The videotaped altercation shows Jeffrey Erman berating the group of hunters near his land in eastern Eddy County, arguing they were touching his property and that they'd ruined his hunting plans for that morning.

The video has amassed nearly 3 million views on YouTube.

Erman originally pleaded not guilty to trading in special influence, a Class A misdemeanor, as well as disorderly conduct and interference with rights of hunters, each a Class B misdemeanor.

However, a plea agreement was eventually reached months later, prompting Erman to change his plea to guilty for both Class B misdemeanors on Monday. Eddy County State’s Attorney, Ashley Lies, said the first count of trading in special influence was dropped for lack of factual basis.

After Erman entered his guilty pleas, the hearing moved straight into sentencing, at which point District Court Judge James Hovey made a criminal judgment that didn’t quite adhere to the plea agreement reached by the prosecution and defense.

The plea agreement stipulated that the prosecution would not recommend suspension of Erman’s hunting privileges, and would have had him pay $250 to the North Dakota Game & Fish Report All Poachers (RAP) program.

Instead, Judge Hovey ordered Erman’s hunting privileges revoked for one year, and stipulated that he must complete a hunter safety training course before being re-licensed in North Dakota. Furthermore, the judge increased Erman’s fine to $425 which will be paid to the state of North Dakota, not specifically to the anti-poaching program.

Erman was also placed under unsupervised probation until March 21, 2024.

Erman’s change of plea and sentencing came after Dustin Wolf’s, one of the hunters in the video who also reached a plea agreement.

According to court documents, Wolf had received permission to hunt on the harvested bean field from an authorized agent for the landowner, but was told not to hunt near the property line unless also given permission by Erman.

Wolf pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and was ordered to pay $250 in various fees and fines, in addition to $200 to the Report All Poachers program.

State’s Attorney Lies said she’s happy with how the whole situation was eventually resolved.

“As the State’s Attorney our job is to pursue justice in the interest of the public,” said Lies. “Obviously this was a case the public was very interested in, but no matter what type of case that we’re dealing with, my job is not to let the public opinion sway the interest of the case, and I feel that in both cases justice was done.”

 
 
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