A Jackson County Deputy District Attorney has been named "Prosecutor of the Year" by the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division for the second time.
Deputy DA Melissa LeRitz was honored for her exceptional work prosecuting fish and wildlife crimes.
The Wildlife Prosecutor of the Year award is made possible by the Oregon Hunter's Association and Oregon Sportsman's Conservation Partnership. LeRitz also won the award in 2020.
According to Duane Dungannon, OHA publisher and state coordinator, conservation-minded sportsmen appreciate prosecutors like LeRitz who take poaching cases seriously.
LeRitz has a reputation for supporting OSP game troopers as they collect and document evidence and navigate processes crucial to prosecuting fish and wildlife crime cases.
Wildlife in the state of Oregon is deemed property of the state of Oregon. LeRitz said the regulations are designed to be fair to all hunters as well as the natural resources of the state.
If you know of or suspect crimes against fish and wildlife or habitat, please report them to the Turn in Poachers (TIP) Line at 1-(800)-452-7888 or dial *OSP from a mobile phone.
