AG’s office secures guilty pleas, sentence of 43.5 months in prison for prolific poacher

The AG's office secured a guilty plea to seven felonies and a sentence of 43.5 months in prison for Ronald Livermore, a prolific poacher previously convicted of animal abuse. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, this is the longest agreed recommendation for an illegal hunting sentencing in almost a decade.

Livermore has an almost twenty-year history of animal abuse and illegal hunting across the Pacific Northwest and was previously convicted of multiple crimes in Oregon, including a felony conviction for animal abuse. He recklessly fired rifles into the woods during the night, stockpiled homemade guns in violation of a court order, and illegally hunted with small-caliber weapons not appropriate for humane deer hunting. The sentence reflects Mr. Livermore's significant criminal history and the severity of the offenses he committed in this case.

"Washington's hunting laws maintain opportunities for hunters while ensuring that hunting is as safe, ethical, and sustainable as possible. Cases like this remind us why these laws exist," said Attorney General Nick Brown. "We were happy to work with local law enforcement and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in this case to protect public safety and animal welfare."

Livermore pled guilty to:

1. Four counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree;
2. One count of unlawful hunting of big game in the first degree committed while armed with a firearm;
3. One count of unlawful hunting of big game in the first degree;
4. One count of unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle.

In 2008, Livermore was convicted of multiple counts of violating wildlife laws and unlawful possession of a silencer, in Oregon. He was again convicted in 2016 in Oregon of illegal possession of a firearm or silencer and animal abuse. Due to the animal abuse conviction, Livermore was prohibited from possessing a firearm in Washington.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) caught Livermore illegally hunting with a firearm in 2023 and again in 2024. Livermore has never had his firearm rights restored after his previous crimes. Livermore was driving in the middle of the night in Sinlahekin Wildlife Area while using a spotlight, shooting into the woods whenever he saw something he thought might be an animal. Livermore pled not guilty to charges stemming from this incident and was released to home confinement with ankle monitoring.

While the case was pending, WDFW officers found a deer near Livermore's property that had been paralyzed after being shot in the spine with a small-caliber bullet. WDFW secured and served a search warrant, discovering multiple homemade firearms in a secret compartment in Livermore's bathroom. The firearms were made of materials such as umbrella handles, canes, and PVC pipe, but functioned and fired accurately. The officers also found an additional shot deer and evidence that Livermore was baiting deer to his porch and then shooting them.

The Attorney General's Office does not have authority to initiate criminal investigations unless it receives and accepts a grant of concurrent authority from a county prosecutor or a request from the governor. In this case, the Okanogan County prosecutor granted concurrent authority to prosecute this case to the AG's office.

The AG's office used its resources to support local law enforcement and WDFW in investigating this case. Working together, the AGO added felonies and a firearm enhancement to the initial list of charges. These additions significantly increased Livermore's sentence, ensuring he is held accountable for his crimes.

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