A Madison County man was sentenced to retained jurisdiction after he was convicted of multiple wildlife crimes as well as a separate charge of felony burglary.

Brayden Froehlich was sentenced Oct. 24. He also received a lifetime hunting revocation in Idaho and the 48 other states that are members of the Wildlife Violators Compact.

His wildlife crimes included a felony count of unlawfully killing, possessing or wasting wildlife and one misdemeanor count for hunting with a revoked license, a joint news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office said. The release said tips from the public helped lead to the conviction.

The release said an intensive investigation by Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office led to charges for seven illegally taken animals, including a 5-point white-tailed buck, a 2-point white-tailed buck, three white-tailed does, a bull elk, and a pronghorn antelope. The violations occurred in 2021 during the months of July and August near Rexburg.

“Oftentimes people fail to report wildlife crime because they don’t think that it is important, or they don’t think anything can be done,” Regional Conservation Officer Barry Cummings said in the release. “A large majority of the cases that conservation officers are able to take to a successful prosecution started with a tip from the public.”

Froehlich’s initial two-year license revocation stemmed from a 2020 prosecution after officers received a tip from the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline, alerting them that Froehlich had killed a deer with a rifle during archery season.

“No matter how big or small the violation may be, we greatly appreciate those individuals that call in with information to help officers make connections that solve wildlife crimes,” Cummings said in the release. “A simple call can make all the difference in bringing wildlife violations to justice.”

Retained jurisdiction, also known as a rider program, runs from 90 days to a year, allows an inmate to receive intensive treatment and education while incarcerated at a minimum-security prison. Froehlich received an underlying sentence of five years in prison consecutive to a sentence of six years for the burglary charge. A hearing for sentencing on restitution has been scheduled for Dec. 5.

Anyone with information about a wildlife crime is encouraged to call the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999, 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward, the release said. In addition to the CAP hotline, people can contact their local Fish and Game office or any law enforcement authority.