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3 men charged in illegal killing of moose, sheep in Anchorage area

Troopers say largest Anchorage-area poaching case seen in years

Man admits to killing Dall sheep near McHugh Creek -Troopers say it’s part of largest poaching case the Anchorage area has seen in years

By Lauren Maxwell
Published: Dec. 5, 2024 at 7:48 PM CST

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - From allegations of moose killed illegally in a city park to Dall sheep killed near McHugh Creek, state Fish and Wildlife Troopers have announced multiple wildlife-related crime charges against three men after an investigation that spanned four years.

According to charging documents, in the fall of 2021, state troopers were notified of two separate incidents of Dall sheep being killed illegally in the McHugh Creek area as well as a moose in the Bear Valley area, both of which were closed to hunting.

Troopers contacted 27-year-old Jon Wilson who eventually admitted he had killed a moose in Kincaid Park the year before, as well as a Dall sheep illegally in 2021. He denied killing a moose in Bear Valley.

Wilson killed a moose in Kincaid Park on Oct. 6, 2020, troopers say, after scouting the area for weeks. Authorities say Wilson left salvageable meat on the carcass.


Troopers say they found the Kincaid moose’s head and antlers in Wilson’s home, as well as the McHugh sheep horns in his garage, and later, photo evidence of Wilson posing with a bow and arrow over a moose in Bear Valley.

Troopers say they found photographic evidence the Bear Valley moose was transported in a vehicle registered to 40-year-old Jerome Orton and stored in Orton’s home. There were also photos which showed Orton had killed two Dall sheep illegally in 2021, also in the McHugh Creek Area. Troopers say both Orton and Wilson left meat from the animals behind to rot.

The investigation also showed Orton and Wilson made false reports to the Department of Fish and Game when they brought Dall sheep horns in to be sealed as required by law. Each man claimed the animals had been taken in a different area of the state where hunting was legal.

A third man, 33-year-old Anchorage resident Jedidiah Lomer, was also charged in the case. According to charging documents, Lomer was seen in a photo with Orton posing with the Bear Valley moose, and was later asked by Orton to remove some of the physical evidence, including sheep horns and Wilson’s moose head, from Orton’s home.


Troopers were unable to locate the evidence after searching all three residences in January 2022.

In July 2024, Orton and Wilson were charged with 14 counts each of wildlife crimes. Some of the charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal where each man pleaded guilty to several counts. A state prosecutor said the sentencing will include time to serve as well as fines.

Lomer, who is charged with three counts of tampering with evidence, is still at large with a bench warrant issued for his arrest. Wildlife Troopers are asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to give them a call at 907-352-5401 or submit a tip through the AKTips smartphone app.

Troopers say the complicated nature of the case with multiple defendants, hunts and animals taken made for a lengthy investigation. One officer said the case was the largest Anchorage-based wildlife poaching investigation that he had been involved in during his career.