Two Ohio Fisherman Indicted Following Cheating Accusations At Tournament

Two Ohio fishermen have been indicted on both felony and misdemeanor charges after being accused of cheating at a pro fishing tournament, according to Sports Illustrated.

The two anglers were accused of putting weights in fish they caught at the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Championship back on September 30, according to Sports Illustrated. 35-year-old Chase Cominsky of Pennsylvania and his partner, 42-year-old Jake Runyon of Ohio, were indicted Wednesday (October 12) on felony charges of cheating, attempting grand theft and possessing criminal tools. In addition, the two were indicted on misdemeanor charges of unlawfully owning wild animals. They are expected to be arraigned Wednesday, October 26.

The two were set to win the tournament, as well as a prize worth thousands of dollars, when the judges cut open their fish and found weights inside. The two were then disqualified from the event. They were also winning the standings for the professional fishing team of the year.

In addition, this isn't the first time the two have been caught in a controversy. The two were disqualified and forced to give up their prize money last year at the Fall Brawl fishing tournament in Lake Erie when one of them failed a mandatory polygraph test given after the tournament.