(CNN) Two men who allegedly cheated to win a fishing contest have pleaded guilty to charges, including fraud, according to the Cuyahoga County Office of the Prosecutor.
Jacob Runyan and teammate Chase Cominsky rocked the competitive fishing world after it was discovered that their fish had been laced with lead weights and fish fillets at a fishing tournament in Ohio in September 2022. .
Both have now pleaded guilty to fraud and unlawful possession of wildlife during the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament.
“This plea is the first step in teaching these crooks two basic life lessons,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley said in a statement Monday.
“You don’t steal, and crime doesn’t pay.”
In open court on Monday, the two men admitted their guilt, as part of their plea agreement, and also agreed to forfeit the ownership of the boat and trailer used in the tournament.
They face six months to a year in prison and could have their fishing licenses suspended for up to three years, if they are sentenced.
The state recommended a sentence of six months of probation to the court. They will be punished on May 11.
CNN reached out to attorneys for Runyan and Cominsky for comment but did not receive a response.
The fish were found wrapped in lead weights and fish fillets – a moment documented in several viral videos shared on social media.
Last year, the two men were set to win a $28,760 prize until Jason Fischer, director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament, became suspicious.
They were disqualified from the tournament.
The walleye — a type of fish — in the bucket looked like they each weighed four pounds, but the total weight showed they must have been at least seven pounds each, he told CNN. last year.
The moment when Fischer discovered the alleged cheating was documented in several videos that went viral at the time.
They showed Fischer, surrounded by competitors, slicing the fish with a knife and pulling out what he said was a lead ball.
Fischer later provided photos of metal objects and fish fillets the tournament host said he pulled from the walleye, which the two defendants allegedly inserted to add weight to their catch.
In a video Fischer shared with CNN last year, Runyan can be seen standing silently watching as onlookers in the crowd shout insults at him.
CNN’s Zoe Sottile contributed reporting.
