A Circuit Court judge has denied a prosecution motion to modify the sentence given to a 59-year-old Hustle man who was convicted earlier this year of misdemeanor charges related to a July 1, 2024 killing of hunting dogs.
In August, Thomas Egon Bohlmann received six month suspended sentences for each conviction, Judge John S. Martin ruled that he must pay restitution ($6,740) in the matter and attend three hunt club meetings (in Essex or in border counties) within the next 12 months. That requirement is so that Bohlmann can make presentations regarding his case, including what he did, why he did it, his charges, the jury’s verdict and his court sentaking tence. He is also required to truthfully answer any questions and listen to comments during those sessions.
One of the hunt clubs Bohlmann is to visit is the Forest Hunt Club of which Ricky Clark, whose dogs were shot to death by Bohlmann, is a member. The Forest Hunt Club can decline the visit.
During a November 5 hearing on the matter, Essex Commonwealth’s Attorney James M. Sitton II told the court that his motion was to “clarify” that Bohlman must make presentations to three different hunt clubs.
“The spirit of your order is to have (Bohlmann) get to know the people of Essex County,” Sitton told the court.
Defense attorney Brent Bohanon argued that the spirit of the sentence Martin issued “was so (Bohlmann) can get a better understanding of the hunting culture…. The Commonwealth is not in charge of enforcement (of the sentence), that’s for probation to do…. I think the court laid it out correctly and the court should deny the Commonwealth’s motion.”
Sitton responded saying his motion did not request that Bohlmann make three different presentations, only that his talk should be made to three “separate and distinct” hunt clubs.
“I think the sentencing order was clear and Heather Packett is a competent probation officer,” Martin said while issuing his ruling. “I’m confident Mr. Bohlmann will follow the order and Heather Packett will monitor it, so the motion is denied.”
As part of his sentence, Bohlmann was placed on supervised probation solely for the purpose of ensuring compliance and ordered to be of peace and good behavior for a period of 12 months.
Following a two-day jury trial in July, Bohlmann was found guilty of two counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals, two counts of removing a tracking collar from a dog “with the intent to prevent or hinder the owner from locating the dog,” and two counts of intentionally destroying a GPS tracking device.
He was found not guilty of a third misdemeanor charge of cruelty to an animal.
During his trial, Bohlmann testified that he heard a disturbance at a chicken coop on his property and saw a dog running back and forth there.
Bohlmann said he armed himself with a shotgun and when he exited his house to his front porch he viewed a dog walking near an orchard on his property towards a wooded area away from the chicken coop.
He said he fired upon the dog and went inside to retrieve more shells to reload, firing again at that dog and another who appeared just in the woods.
During a video of a Department of Wildlife Resources investigation, Bohlmann said he fired “misery” shots after both dogs were down.
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