Woman allegedly covered shots in major deer poaching scheme involving minors

(WLUK) – Now the woman has been charged in connection with the investigation In the illegal poaching of more than 100 deer, she allegedly beamed at the deer from her vehicle while the juvenile shot at it at least once from the car and threw the phone into the river to prevent law enforcement from checking it for evidence, according to a criminal complaint.

More than two months after the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, requested information about the alleged deer poaching, the reports led to uncovering a large-scale scheme that spanned three counties in a region of about 200 miles. The sheriff’s office said more than 100 deer were shot and/or killed between spring 2023 and July 2024. The incidents stretched from Lomira and Waucusta to Theresa and West Bend.

Jessica Kroning, 36, is charged with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child, illegal deer lighting and resisting a game warden. An initial appearance in Washington County District Court is scheduled for Dec. 2.

Three minors are also accused in a case in Fond du Lac County.

According to a complaint filed Wednesday, police were called to a Campbellsport home in July for a report of a foul odor coming from a trash bag behind the home. Four deer heads were found inside. Kroning denied any knowledge of them.

The owner of the property, who was in a relationship with Kroning, told police that the juvenile who lived there had been killing deer for more than a year with the help of another juvenile. The law enforcement officers spoke with the second minor, who admitted what was happening.

“Juvenile 2 stated that he and Juvenile 1 had been going out shooting deer at night with a spotlight and a rifle for about a year. Juvenile 2 stated that they always used defendant’s vehicle to go deer shooting. He stated that they were using a firearm that belonged to the family of Juvenile 1. Juvenile 2 also stated that the defendant knew that they were shooting deer and was on the phone with them while they were doing it. He also noted that the defendant and others accompanied them to shoot deer,” the complaint states.

Police spoke with a third juvenile who also admitted to participating in the shooting on three days in July, between midnight and 4 a.m.

“Juvenile 3 stated that on July 13, 2024, they shot three white-tailed deer. He stated that minors 1 and 2 cut off the heads of the deer while he was waiting in the car,” the complaint states.

He identified the deer heads found at the Campbellsport home as those shot in the area west of Kewaskum.

Police then spoke with the first juvenile, who also admitted his role.

“Juvenile 1 stated that he and Juvenile 2 had been out shooting deer with a spotlight for months, and he estimated they went out fifty times. He stated that he drives defendant’s Chevy Malibu when they shoot deer at night. Juvenile 1 stated that he kept the heads from the last seven deer to boil them and make them into European mounts,” the complaint states.

Kroning then admitted his involvement.

“She reported that she was in the back driver’s seat and the minor was in the driver’s seat. Defendant stated that Juvenile 1 held the firearm between his leg and the center console near the driver’s seat. She stated that she was holding a spotlight from the back seat and Juvenile 1 was ejected from the front driver’s seat. Defendant stated that after the deer was killed, Juvenile 1 drove it home and took Juvenile 2 to go get the deer. She stated that the two boys waited for about three hours to get the deer so they wouldn’t get caught,” the complaint said.

Police searched Croning’s car and found “a bloody steak knife, a bloody wood saw, a bloody Milwaukee flashlight, three bloody floor mats, a .22 caliber bullet and two bloody pocket knives. The said officer further reports that the defendant eventually surrendered two firearms used by the juveniles, a .22 caliber rifle and a 7mm rifle. Both rifles had scratched serial numbers and officers said they were recently scratched due to the bright, shiny metal where the serial numbers were located and a metal chip on the stock.’

After police obtained a search warrant for one of the minors’ phones, they arranged to meet with Kroning to retrieve it. After that, she told the police:

• “You won’t get his phone; this is not happening.”
• “The phone has been gone for a long time.”
• “If you want, go dig him out of the river.”
• “I broke the phone.”
• “The minute (Juvenile 2) alerted us that you guys had warrants on the phones, his phone was gone.”
• “I threw it into the river. I’m not lying.”

“The said officer reports that Warden Metzger asked the defendant why she would throw it in the river. The defendant replied, “Because nobody needs his phone,” the complaint states.

Three minors, all 16 years old, are at different stages of the proceedings.