Chase Cominsky, Jacob Runyan plead not guilty after being accused of cheating at US fishing tournament

In April, two men were accused of filling walleye with lead weights and fish fillets in a lucrative fishing tournament held at Lake Erie in the US. The accused are two fishermen, Jacob Runyan, 42, from Ohio and Chase Cominsky, 35, from Pennsylvania.

During Wednesday’s court briefing, the accused did not made any comment during their brief court appearances in Cleveland. Their attorneys also denied making any comment later.




The tournament director suspects foul play. After four months into the tournament, on September 30, the cheating accusation surfaced after Jason Fischer, Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament director, became suspicious of the heavy weight of the two men’s fish. He said the fish were heavier than typical walleyes of that length. He then tore the fish’s stomach and found fillets and weights packed inside it.

After the issue of a search warrant, officials from the Department of Natural Resources seized the fish. The search affidavit also revealed that Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky were accused of cheating in a different tournament too.

Earlier this month, both the accused were summoned on felony charges of cheating, owning criminal tools, attempted grand theft and wrongdoing charges of illegally owning wild animals. In the court trial, Chase Cominsky and Jacob Runyan pleaded not guilty. However, on Wednesday, they were released on personal bonds of $US2,500.

FAQs

What was the winning amount in the tournament?
The winning amount for the first-place holder was $US28,000.

What was found inside the fish?
In five walleye, officials found lead weights and fish fillets.