Oregon man sentenced to probation, fined after pleading guilty to conservation crimes in Lee and Ogle counties

OREGON – An Oregon man has been banned from hunting in Ogle County or visiting any of its state parks and fined $16,000 as part of his sentence for threatening a conservation police officer, violation of the wildlife code, and theft.

Brandon S. Miller, 31, pleaded guilty to the charges Wednesday, Jan. 15, when he appeared with his attorney, Eric Morrow, in front of Judge Russell Crull.

“We have an agreement,” Morrow told Crull. Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten agreed.

Miller was facing multiple charges of poaching whitetail deer in Lee and Ogle counties and in October 2024 was charged with theft and unlawful possession of a controlled substance following a search at his home.

The October 2024 charges against Miller accuse him of knowingly taking “unauthorized control” of a U.S. savings bond worth between $500 and $10,000 in order to “deprive the owner permanent use or benefit.”

The charge of possessing less than 15 grams of Adderall, a controlled substance, and cannabis plants was dismissed.

Those charges followed an Oct. 3, 2024, search of Miller’s home by the Ogle County Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit with the assistance of the Illinois Conservation Police.

Miller was already facing multiple charges of poaching whitetail deer in Lee and Ogle counties, including one case in which Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police accused him of illegally taking six deer from Lowell Park, a Dixon city park and nature preserve that is off limits to hunters.

And he was ticketed Sept. 13, 2024 in Ogle County for possessing a “freshly killed” male deer during closed season. In that case, conservation police said they found Miller with a “bloody knife and bloody [and] 13-point buck” at 3 p.m. on Brooks Island Road, just south of Oregon.

A violation of probation report was filed Oct. 21, 2024 stating that because of the new charges, his probation sentence for a 2022 burglary should be revoked. That charge was also dismissed Wednesday.

Miller was sentenced to 30 months probation and also ordered to surrender any firearms – including all his crossbows – to conservation police. He was also ordered to pay $16,394 in fines and costs.

Conditions of his probation include having no contact with the conservation police officer and the theft victims and both of their families.

According to court records, Miller threatened the conservation police officer on Oct. 3, 2024, when he said “I’m going to beat you up in front of your wife” and used derogatory language about the officer and his wife.

On Wednesday, Miller told Crull he had one request – that 15 mounted deer heads taken during the search be returned to him. Morrow told him that was not part of the plea agreement. “You are not getting them back,” Morrow told Miller.

The heads have a value in excess of $3,000, court records say.

When asked by Crull if he still wanted to plead guilty Miller replied yes, telling the judge that although he could not read, he could sign his name.

Miller also “objected” to Leisten’s reading of a summary of the charges he was pleading guilty to, a common procedure during sentencing hearings. “I wasn’t there,” Miller said when Leisten said he [Miller] was at his Oregon residence when the search warrant was executed.

“You can’t object,” Morrow told Miller. “There may be some differences, but the facts are there.”

Crull continued with the sentence and again went over all of the conditions.

“You can’t hunt in Ogle County and you can’t go to any of the parks in Ogle County,” Crull told Miller.

Crull asked Miller how long it would take him to pay the $16,396 fine and court costs.

“Right now I am unemployed, but I’m going to figure it out,” Miller replied.

Crull ordered Miller to start paying $300 a month starting Feb. 24.

Crull also told Miller that he had been facing “numerous serious offenses” and must adhere to all conditions of the plea agreement or face more consequences.

“This [sentence] is a very good outcome for you,” Crull told Miller. “If it was me deciding, it would be much worse. It is going to be imperative that you do everything you are told to do by probation.”

Lee County charges

Miller then pleaded guilty Thursday, Jan. 16, in Lee County Circuit Court to one count of unlawful use of game, multiple violations, was sentenced to 24 months of probation, and ordered to pay $889, which includes a $200 fine.

One count of unlawful use of game was dismissed per a plea agreement.

Miller was indicted Feb. 16, 2024, in Lee County court on the charge of unlawful use of game, which is punishable by two to five years in prison.

However, because of a previous felony burglary conviction in Ogle County within the last 10 years, Miller was eligible for an enhanced sentence of two to 10 years.

According to the indictment, Miller “knowingly possessed any animal part or parts, namely, six whitetail deer, a species that is protected under the Illinois Wildlife Code, having a value greater than $3,000.”

Per statute, the value is $1,000 per whitetail deer, plus $500 per point for antlered deer up to 10 points, and $750 per point for 11 points or more.

In that case, Miller was accused of taking four does and two bucks, one with an eight-point rack and one with an 11-point rack, for a total value of $18,250.

The indictment also included one count of unlawful use of game, multiple violations, which accused Miller of knowingly violating the statute multiple times.

The animals were taken on six occasions, from Sept. 27 to Oct. 14, 2023, conservation police said.

According to the conservation police field report, Miller was interviewed Oct. 17, 2023, by officer Randy Leannah about multiple deer takings between Sept. 27 and Oct. 4, 2023. Miller initially said he took five, but Leannah learned of the sixth during the interview.

During the interview, Miller said he shot does on Sept. 27, Oct. 3, Oct. 4 and Oct. 8, 2023; the 11-point buck on Oct. 1, 2023; and the eight-point buck on Oct. 14, 2023, all with a crossbow.