Poacher Sentenced to 43.5 Months for Felonies

WA Attorney General News Releases

Filed March 6th, 2026

Detected March 7th, 2026

Summary

The Washington Attorney General's office secured a guilty plea and a 43.5-month prison sentence for Ronald Livermore, a prolific poacher convicted of seven felonies including illegal firearm possession and hunting. This sentence is reportedly the longest agreed recommendation for illegal hunting in nearly a decade.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Washington Attorney General's office, in conjunction with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Okanogan County prosecutor, has secured a guilty plea and a 43.5-month prison sentence for Ronald Livermore. Livermore pleaded guilty to seven felonies, including unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful hunting of big game. The sentence reflects his extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for animal abuse and illegal firearm possession in Oregon, which prohibited him from possessing firearms in Washington. The investigation revealed Livermore illegally hunted with firearms, possessed illegal short-barreled rifles, and stockpiled homemade firearms.

This enforcement action highlights the severe penalties for repeat offenders of wildlife and firearms laws. The collaboration between state agencies and local prosecutors led to enhanced charges and a significant sentence, underscoring the importance of public safety and animal welfare. While no specific compliance actions are required for regulated entities, this case serves as a strong deterrent against illegal hunting and firearm violations, emphasizing the consequences of such actions.

Penalties

43.5 months in prison

Source document (simplified)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mar 6 2026

The AG’s office secured a guilty plea to seven felonies and a sentence of 43.5 months in prison for Ronald Livermore, a prolific poacher previously convicted of animal abuse. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, this is the longest agreed recommendation for an illegal hunting sentencing in almost a decade.

Livermore has an almost twenty-year history of animal abuse and illegal hunting across the Pacific Northwest and was previously convicted of multiple crimes in Oregon, including a felony conviction for animal abuse. He recklessly fired rifles into the woods during the night, stockpiled homemade guns in violation of a court order, and illegally hunted with small-caliber weapons not appropriate for humane deer hunting. The sentence reflects Mr. Livermore’s significant criminal history and the severity of the offenses he committed in this case.

“Washington’s hunting laws maintain opportunities for hunters while ensuring that hunting is as safe, ethical, and sustainable as possible. Cases like this remind us why these laws exist,” said Attorney General Nick Brown. “We were happy to work with local law enforcement and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in this case to protect public safety and animal welfare.”

Livermore pled guilty to:

Four counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree;
One count of unlawful hunting of big game in the first degree committed while armed with a firearm;
One count of unlawful hunting of big game in the first degree;
One count of unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle. In 2008, Livermore was convicted of multiple counts of violating wildlife laws and unlawful possession of a silencer, in Oregon. He was again convicted in 2016 in Oregon of illegal possession of a firearm or silencer and animal abuse. Due to the animal abuse conviction, Livermore was prohibited from possessing a firearm in Washington.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) caught Livermore illegally hunting with a firearm in 2023 and again in 2024. Livermore has never had his firearm rights restored after his previous crimes. Livermore was driving in the middle of the night in Sinlahekin Wildlife Area while using a spotlight, shooting into the woods whenever he saw something he thought might be an animal. Livermore pled not guilty to charges stemming from this incident and was released to home confinement with ankle monitoring.

While the case was pending, WDFW officers found a deer near Livermore’s property that had been paralyzed after being shot in the spine with a small-caliber bullet. WDFW secured and served a search warrant, discovering multiple homemade firearms in a secret compartment in Livermore’s bathroom. The firearms were made of materials such as umbrella handles, canes, and PVC pipe, but functioned and fired accurately. The officers also found an additional shot deer and evidence that Livermore was baiting deer to his porch and then shooting them.

The Attorney General’s Office does not have authority to initiate criminal investigations unless it receives and accepts a grant of concurrent authority from a county prosecutor or a request from the governor. In this case, the Okanogan County prosecutor granted concurrent authority to prosecute this case to the AG’s office.

The AG’s office used its resources to support local law enforcement and WDFW in investigating this case. Working together, the AGO added felonies and a firearm enhancement to the initial list of charges. These additions significantly increased Livermore’s sentence, ensuring he is held accountable for his crimes.

-30-

Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

Media Contact:

Email: press@atg.wa.gov

Phone: (360) 753-2727

General contacts: Click here

Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

News Releases 2026 News Releases 2025 News Releases 2024 News Releases 2023 News Releases 2022 News Releases 2021 News Releases 2020 News Releases 2019 News Releases 2018 News Releases 2017 News Releases 2016 News Releases 2015 News Releases 2014 News Releases 2013 News Releases 2012 News Releases 2011 News Releases 2010 News Releases 2009 News Releases 2008 News Releases 2007 News Releases 2006 News Releases 2005 News Releases 2004 News Releases 2003 News Releases 2002 News Releases 2001 News Releases 2000 News Releases 1999 News Releases 1998 News Releases 1997 News Releases 1996