Ohio TikTok influencer sentenced for poaching, ordered to post public apology
A 21-year-old Ohio resident who posted hunting bragging videos on TikTok was convicted of multiple wildlife offenses and sentenced to fines, community service and a brief jail term, with a court-ordered apology video on the platform.
Ohio native Carter Hickey, 21, admitted to 17 wildlife-related crimes after a probe spanning nearly 20 states revealed a pattern of illegal hunting, including off-season kills, unauthorized hunts and using a motor vehicle to dispatch animals. Authorities seized 115 pounds of turkey meat along with 47 whole or partial turkey parts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service noted that Hickey had also posted misleading TikTok videos boasting about his hunting exploits, prompting the judge to require a public apology on the same platform.
His sentence includes $35,000 in fines, a 15-day jail stint, two years of community control, 80 hours of community service, $12,000 restitution, $5,500 in fines, $11,000 in additional penalties, and a $6,000 forfeiture in lieu of his pickup truck. He must also write a letter to the City of Dover regarding trespassing and a 10-point buck taken in a public park, contribute $5,000 to the Ohio Turn In a Poacher program, and will have his hunting license revoked for five years.
Why it matters
The case illustrates how illegal wildlife hunting can lead to significant legal penalties and mandatory public accountability on social media.
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