In an astounding instance of chicanery, Jacob Runyan, 43, of Ashtabula, and Chase Cominsky, 36, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, have been sentenced to jail for their disingenuous actions at a Lake Erie walleye tournament in Cleveland. Their subterfuge? Stuffing their fish with lead weights to gain an unfair advantage.
The duo’s flagrant dishonesty got them a 10-day sojourn in Cuyahoga County Jail, courtesy of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Gall. Following their stint in the slammer, each will undergo a year of probation and cough up a $2,500 fine. An additional 30-day sentence waits in the wings should they violate probation. However, Gall generously offered to halve the fine if the men donate $1,250 to a child-oriented fishing charity.
Quoting ancient philosopher Sophocles, Judge Gall poignantly remarked, “I would rather lose with honor than win by cheating.” The men, now tagged as ‘convicted felons and cheaters’, were immediately escorted to jail. Their public apology did little to assuage the damage done to their families and the fishing community.
READ MORE HERE: www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2023/05/fishermen-who-cheated-at-lake-erie-walleye-tournament-in-cleveland-get-jail-time.html