Two fishermen were indicted Wednesday for cheating in a fishing tournament Sept. 30 on Lake Erie.
Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky are accused of stuffing weights into walleye to try and win the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament’s $28,760 top prize, according to NBC News. They are charged with grand theft, cheating, possession of criminal tools and unlawful ownership of wild animals.
Two anglers accused of putting weights in fish they caught in an Ohio tournament in September were indicted in Cleveland on felony charges of cheating, attempting grand theft and possessing criminal tools https://t.co/5I325mGlWs
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 12, 2022
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley described the incident as “not only dishonorable but also criminal,” NBC News reported. Police seized Cominsky’s boat and trailer as part of the investigation. (RELATED: NASCAR Driver Cole Custer Penalized For Trying To Rig Race)
Major controversy in the Pro Fishing world as multi-time winners Jake Runyon and Chase Cominsky were accused of stuffing fish with weights and fish filets.
(🎥 via @Billyhottakes) pic.twitter.com/wquv5z4Wrr
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 1, 2022
Tournament director Jason Fischer cut open the fish that Runyan and Cominsky caught after noticing the fish appeared smaller than their weight, reported NBC News. In total, 10 weights were found inside the fish. Witnesses shouted at the two men in disbelief.
Runyan and Cominsky were also disqualified from the previous year’s Fall Brawl fishing tournament on Lake Erie for failing a mandatory polygraph test after the tournament, Sports Illustrated reported.