The competitive fishing world was rocked over the weekend by cheating allegations at the Lake Erie Walleye Trail event in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, on Friday.
Chase Cominsky and his partner, Jake Runyon, seemingly won the event with two seven-pound walleyes. But the duo’s victory was immediately marred when they were allegedly caught in the act of cheating by shoving lead weights and perch fillets into the mouths of their caught fish to add weight to them. The scene quickly devolved into a shouting match as both men were seemingly caught red-handed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T8vN8CmGks
“You should be in jail!” a competitor can be heard yelling during the dust-up. That angler may get his wish.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley is investigating the incident as attempted felony theft.
“My staff will be meeting with officers from the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources today regarding the matter. I take all crime seriously, including attempted felony theft at a fishing tournament,” O’Malley told TMZ Sports. “These individuals will be held accountable.”
Cominsky and Runyon have a history of apparent cheating. The duo failed a polygraph test after winning a previous event.
Felony theft is a crime in Ohio punishable by six to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.
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