Four of five men accused of killing more than 40 big game animals in western North Dakota have accepted plea agreements. The fifth man is still being sought, and warrants have been issued for his arrest.

Pat Lothspeich was the district game warden stationed in Belfield during the six-week period in 2007 when the killings occurred. Lothspeich said the case is of "historic proportions" and will go down as the biggest prosecution of wildlife violations in the state.

The cases are being prosecuted in Stark County, and state's attorney Tom Henning said 20-year-old John Koester of Sentinel Butte signed off on his plea deal last week.

Henning said the three others, 22-year-old Billy Buckman and 21-year-old Jaden Adams of Belfield, and 23-year-old Shawn Hiller of Medora, are expected to sign off this week.

Henning said Koester pleaded guilty to 12 counts of hunting big game out of season and 12 counts of hunting using artificial lights, both Class A misdemeanors. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail with all but five days suspended, fined $15,000 with all but $1,675 suspended and ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution plus $325 in court fees. He has two years under the suspended sentences to pay the fines and restitution.

Henning said Koester will also lose his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 10 years. He said the other settlements have not been filed with the court yet, but the three others will receive similar sentences.

Meanwhile, authorities have not been able to track down the fifth man, 21-year-old Chris Calentine. Henning said it's believed he is in Montana.

Lothspeich said the investigation was more than a year and a half in the making, and began coming together in the fall of 2007. He said it was a case of drinking, driving around at night and shining, where animals are frozen in the beam of a spotlight then shot. Countless other small game animals, like rabbits and porcupines, along with mule deer and antelope, also were killed, he said.

A key part of the investigation, Lothspeich said, was the testimony of two sisters who were invited along, but did not participate in the shootings.

"They witnessed the activity and provided written testimony," he said.

Lothspeich said a number of law enforcement agencies cooperated in the investigation, including fellow game warden Bill Schaller of Watford City. He added that there was a great deal of public support during the investigation.

"People were outraged," he said. "It went above and beyond what most people could comprehend."

He said part of the investigation included distributing posters in area towns seeking information on the killings.

"We started getting calls within just a few days," he said.

Lothspeich said on a personal note, it was a difficult investigation for him because he knew the families involved and taught several of the men during hunter education classes when they were younger.

Perhaps the toughest pill to swallow, Lothspeich said, came when he asked the men, "Why?"

"It came down to four words, " he said.

"For something to do."

(Reach reporter Brian Gehring at 250-8254 or brian.gehring@;bismarcktribune.com.)