Two men accused of cheating en route to roughly $30,000 in prize money at a Lake Erie fishing tournament pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges on Wednesday.
Jacob Runyan, 42, of Ashtabula, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, entered their not-guilty pleas through their attorneys in a Cleveland courtroom on Wednesday. The Associated Press reports that both men remained silent during the arraignment.
Runyan and Cominsky are indicted on fifth-degree felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools. They also face a first-degree misdemeanor charge of unlawful ownership of wild animals.
Theirs became a national story when tournament director Jason Fischer pulled lead sinkers and fish filets out of five fish that the men submitted at the Lake Erie Walleye Trail fishing tournament. Fischer was suspicious when the fish weighed in at 33.91 pounds, well over the 16.89 pounds needed to claim Team of the Year honors and the five-figure payout.
The experienced fisherman expected them to weigh in closer to 15-20 pounds based on their size. He then cut one open to pull out the first of several lead weights stuffed inside the fish. He also found fish filets inside the fish, presumably to prevent the weights from clanging together and making noise.
Fury then erupted, as fellow competitors lashed out at the fishermen, with one declaring "They’ve been doing this s*** for years!”
Tournament fishing is a high-stakes competition with serious competitors investing six-figures in their boats and equipment. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley addressed the felony charges facing the anglers in an Oct. 12 statement.
"I take all crime very seriously, and I believe what these two individuals attempted to do was not only dishonorable but also criminal," O’Malley's statement reads.
Runyan and Cominsky have not addressed the situation publicly since they were charged. They were released on $2,500 bond on Wednesday.
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