I received a letter a week or so ago from the U.S. Attorney in North Carolina stating that I was named as a victim in a case in North Carolina. I thought that there was some mistake until yesterday when I got a "package" containing an arraignment, materials data sheets and a questionaire they asked me to fill out and return. There also is a phone number to contact if you have questions. The questionaire is to determine if you are a victim in this crime. Since Miller Trophy Room is bankrupt and the owner has died, that leaves only a guy named Tim Smithers who tried to buy the business left. If you had a valid claim, who in the hell is going to pay?

What I cannot understand is why no one else has been contacted and why there is not a large thread here on AR about this. There must be thousands of folks who had Miller Trophy Room treat their mounts. Hell, SCI in Tucson had Miller treat all the mounts there.

I used to talk with Miller when he came around periodically to treat the mounts at SCI headquarters before I retired in 1999. This is the first I've heard about his death, or about a criminal case involving his company. What happened?

Bill Quimby

Hoot,

I received a similar letter today, asking me to go to the Court's website to register. No suggestion of additional material coming.

I received the same letter. Have skimmed it. Basically has to do with them misusing/mislabeling/misapplying an insecticide that they used in treating trophies.

Violation of the laws around insecticides is pretty serious stuff. I worked on a case once where a guy used a non-approved pesticide on several shiploads of grain which eventually were made into Cheerios and such. I believe he was sentenced to something like seven years in prison.

Our government at work.

I actually spoke to the new owner/operator of Miller last night, before I saw this thread. I asked him whether the dispute concerning the business that took place after the former owner's death had been resolved. He informed me that after the owner's death, the individual now being prosecuted continued to operate the business and "got himself into trouble" by using certain substances to treat trophies. He informed me that the former owner's daughter ended up getting the business through the administration of the owner's estate. He informed me that they are back in business and are using "legal" and all "organic compounds" in their work. He informed me that the same 10 year guarantees are in place.

I am a little nervous about this. Miller did work on my late father's large collection for years and he experienced no infestation problems after Miller's work. My father was always very pleased with Miller's work and professionalism. I now have many of my father's trophies along with my own and I have experienced recent bug problems with two mounts. I have also arranged for a significant donation to have a couple hundred mounts preserved for a local museum and had planned to have Miller do that work as well. If anyone on this thread knows of anyone else who does insect protection and preservation, I sure would appreciate a name and contact information so I can make some comparisons with the current Miller.

I gently vacuum my mounts to clean them periodically and have always used permanone spray on them. I have never had any infestations, my oldest mounts are 12 years old.

Well, you should see some other governments at work regarding pesticide. Ground water contaminated by DDT, seed grain with persticide used for food, resulting in horror birth defects ... these just a few of the many issues with wrong pesticides in the food chain.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Our government at work.

Anyone have details on the specifics of the insecticides involved or mislabled are?

The pesticide Miller used was Terminix. It was illegal to use it as he did. That being said a pesticide company just treated the crawl space under my house with with the same chemical for termites. This stuff won't hurt you unless you eat your mounts just after application. I would guess the government will spend millions on this case trying to prosecute a dead man. Your tax dollars at work.

Gunny,
Terminix is a pest control company. Is it possible you meant Termidor, which is used to treat for termites?

Many effective chemicals have been made illegal since the end of DDT. Chemicals such as Lindane, Malithion, Dursban, Chlorydane and Edalin U are in part or all illegal now. Forgive any spelling errors, it's been years since I was involve with the above. EU was one of the best, most effective permanant chemicals for the treatment of any and all trophy mounts. From Germany but the EPA said no more. Someone might be allergic to it...someday.