COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two central Ohio men known for their YouTube hunting channel have been ordered to pay over $37,000 in penalties and serve jail time after pleading guilty to dozens of wildlife violations, state officials announced Friday.
William I. Bethel, 28, and Justin A. Booth, 23, both of Columbus—who operated the channel Creek Kings Outdoors—entered guilty pleas to a combined 40 counts in Franklin County Environmental Court following a year-long joint investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife and the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.
Filmed Violations & Illegally Taken Deer
Authorities say the pair poached white-tailed deer between 2019 and 2024, targeting Three Creeks Metro Park and other private properties where they lacked permission to hunt.
Videos showcasing the poached deer were subsequently uploaded to their YouTube channel. Investigators revealed that while Bethel and Booth claimed in their videos to have harvested certain deer in Kentucky, the animals were actually taken illegally within Ohio.
Following initial charges filed in September 2025, each man pleaded guilty to 20 counts in May 2026.
Penalties and Sentencing
As part of their sentence, Bethel and Booth face:
- Financial Restitution: $29,219.32 in joint restitution, bringing their total penalties to $37,051.32 after court fees and fines.
- Jail Time: Nine days in jail to be served during the upcoming 2026–2027 hunting season, with an additional 531 days suspended.
- Probation & Property Bans: Five years of reporting probation, during which both men are strictly barred from entering all Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.
- Revoked Privileges: A five-year revocation of their hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses.
Specific Charges Filed
William I. Bethel pleaded guilty to 20 counts, including hunting without a permit, hunting in closed season, hunting without permission, criminal trespass, possessing illegally taken deer, failing to game-check deer, and hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle.
Justin A. Booth pleaded guilty to 20 counts, including hunting without permission, criminal trespass, possessing illegally taken deer, taking more than one antlered deer in a license year, aiding a wildlife offender, and obstructing official business.
The extensive investigation was aided by the Ohio State Highway Patrol Computer Crimes Unit alongside prosecutors from the City of Columbus and Franklin County.
Members of the public who witness wildlife violations in Ohio are encouraged to call the anonymous Turn in a Poacher (TIP) hotline at 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437). Information leading to a conviction may qualify for a reward.
