Warsaw man faces felony charge in bass tourney investigation

A Warsaw man faces a felony charge of attempt to steal by deceit for allegedly trying to weigh in fish at a bass tournament that he caught before the tournament began, the Missouri Department of Conservation reported.

David R. Gann, 72, was entered in a family-style bass tournament on Truman Lake on June 4 when the alleged violation occurred, according to Mike Burton, a Protection District Supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

A few days earlier, anglers looking for a place on the lake to set lines came across a rope tied to a wire box in the water that contained three largemouth bass and notified conservation agents.

Burton, Conservation Agent Rob Farr, and Protection District Supervisor Dan Love used the information to locate the fish box. Inside they found one bass weighing more than five pounds, which had died from stress, and two live bass topping two and three pounds respectively, according to a news release from the conservation department. The agents clipped fins on the live bass and took photos for later identification.

On the day of the tournament, the agents watched the site. They saw Gann fishing in a boat by himself near the site, according to Burton, and they watched him remove fish from the box. They saw him throw away the five-pound bass that was dead and put the other two bass in his boat’s live well.

The tournament weigh-in was at Osage Bluff Marina. After Gann’s catch was weighed, conservation agents and Missouri Water Patrol officers took possession of the fish. They found fish with fins clipped by agents before the tourney began, the conservation department reported. Gann was questioned and taken into custody by Water Patrol officers.

Conservation agents issued misdemeanor citations to Gann, one for wanton waste of fish and another for having an unlabeled live box in the water.

According to the conservation department, Prosecuting Attorney Karen Woodley on June 21 filed an attempt to steal by deceit charge against Gann in Benton County Circuit Court. Gann was arraigned on June 28 and entered a not guilty plea. A hearing is set for Aug. 2.

The misdemeanor charges are punishable by up to one year in jail and fines of up to $1,000. The Class D felony charge is punishable by up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine, the conservation department reported.