Monroe Duck Hunter Convicted by Federal Jury of Assaulting Federal Fish and Wildlife Agents

MONROE - On August 26, 2026, following a three-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty, a federal jury found Carson McKoin, 23, of Monroe, guilty of assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal wildlife agents. McKoin faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2026.

"Louisiana, long known as 'Sportsman's Paradise,' is blessed with one of the richest outdoor traditions in the country," said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. "But that tradition only succeeds when hunters exercise due care and responsibility with firearms. Reckless actions put lives at risk and are taken very seriously."

According to evidence presented at trial, McKoin was hunting with a group of young men on January 19, 2024, when he believed other hunters were encroaching on the duck hole his group claimed. Hearing a boat approaching, McKoin fired a shot toward what he thought were incoming hunters. The individuals approaching were actually federal fish and wildlife agents performing their official duties. When confronted, McKoin admitted firing the shot but claimed it was simply a "signal shot," a statement at odds with the agents' belief that he had intentionally fired at them.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Office of Law Enforcement (USFWS OLE), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Vermaelen, William Gaskins, and Robert Moody, with assistance from Legal Assistant Stephanie Stewart.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 25-cr-00025.

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