CLEVELAND (AP) — Two men accused of stuffing five walleye pollock with lead weights and fish fillets during a lucrative fishing tournament on Lake Erie pleaded not guilty to cheating and other charges on Wednesday. Did.
Jacob Lunyan, 42, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, and Chase Kominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, declined to comment during brief court appearances in Cleveland. Their lawyers declined to comment on the case after the hearing.
Cuyahoga County Assistant Attorney James Gutierrez also declined to comment and asked a spokesperson.
The allegations of wrongdoing surfaced on Sept. 30. Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament Director Jason Fischer was skeptical because the Runyan and Cominsky fish were significantly heavier than regular walleye. An angry crowd in Cleveland’s Gordon Park watched as Fisher announced that he had cut open a walleye pollack and stuffed it with weights and fish fillets.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources officials seized the fish as evidence.
Runyan and Cominsky were charged earlier this month with misdemeanor felonies of misconduct, attempted grand theft, possession of criminal tools, and illegal possession of a wild animal.
Both were released on Wednesday at $2,500 individual bonds.
The total prize money for first place in the tournament was around $28,000.
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