Muhlenberg man ordered to pay $44,000 in restitution for turkey hunting violations

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Muhlenberg County hunting guide has been ordered to pay restitution.

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says Timothy Smithwick, 59 of Drakesboro, was operating an illegal guide service on his property in Muhlenberg County. The operation was discovered in the Spring of 2024.

Game Wardens and the Special Investigations Unit launched a joint investigation into Smithwick guiding hunters without proper licensing and illegally baiting his property for turkey.

Kentucky Fish & Wildlife says the investigation spanned months and returned three search warrants. Compliance checks were conducted at Smithwick’s property on May 4.

Smithwick was taken into custody on a bench warrant for fish and wildlife charges. Smithwick is charged with eight counts of illegal take of turkey, eight counts of illegal guiding, trapping violations, resident hunting/trapping without a license, and a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Smithwick is ordered by the Muhlenberg County District judge to pay $44,000 in restitution to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife following his conviction on multiple hunting violations,

Five hunters Jason Johnson, 39, of Perry, Georgia, Colby Stancil, 26, of Jasper, Georgia, James Stancil, 64, of Jasper, Georgia, Joseph Todd, 30, of Lyons, Georgia, and Charles Jones, 51, of Jasper, Georgia, were cited for various charges, including hunting without licenses/permits, hunting with unplugged shotguns and the illegal take or pursuit of turkey. In addition, Colby Stancil was arrested after fleeing into a wood line to hide an unplugged shotgun, electronic turkey calls and illegal drugs, in addition to hunting over bait.