OTSEGO, Mich. — One man has been convicted of multiple wildlife and felony weapons violations in Otsego County Circuit Court.
Cecil Edward Day Jr., 56, is serving up to 7 1/2 years in state prison for his involvement in incidents that Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation officers have been investigating since 2018.
“This individual was a thief of our natural resources,” said Sgt. Mark DePew, Michigan DNR Law Enforcement Division, who led the investigations. “Our officers’ teamwork should be a lesson to those who seek to steal fish and game from the citizens of this state.”
According to the DNR On Sept. 8, Day pleaded guilty before a judge and was convicted of the following:
- 2018: Intentionally discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle and possession or taking of an illegal deer. He was sentenced to 13 months in jail, loss of weapon used, and ordered to pay fines totaling $1,836.
- 2019: Possession of a firearm by a felon and using another’s hunting license. He was sentenced to 13 months in jail, loss of weapon used, and ordered to pay fines totaling $1,458.
- 2020: Operating a motor vehicle while being intoxicated (third offense) and being a habitual offender. He was sentenced to serve 16 months to 7 1/2 years in prison and to pay fines totaling $958.
Day started serving his concurrently running prison sentence on Sept. 13. Of his total $4,254 in fines assessed, Day was ordered to pay $2,000 to the state’s Fish and Game Fund as restitution for the loss of game.
