Washington County woman charged in wildlife poaching case sentenced to 1 month in jail

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Washington County woman is facing consequences after investigators say her son and his friends killed more than 100 deer last year. 

Jessica Kroening was charged last October after a warden found a bag with four deer heads outside her home in Campbellsport. She said her 16-year-old son put them there. 

Jessica Kroening will spend one month in jail for two charges: contributing to the delinquency of a minor and illegal shining of deer. 

She took a plea deal last month, and she and her attorney hoped she'd leave the courtroom Friday with just a fine.

"You do walk in this courtroom and present yourself in a way that really, you think this is nothing."

Judge Sandra Giernoth criticized Kroening's attitude about the seriousness of her case. She's accused of allowing her then-16-year-old son to take her car to illegally kill deer. 

Officials said the boys used spotlights to hunt and took selfies with them.

"Regarding hunting violations through the DNR, the entirety of this is by far the most egregious I've ever seen," said District Attorney Barry Braatz. 

Kroening initially told wardens she didn't know about it and lied about throwing her son's phone in a river. 

A third charge of obstructing a warden was dismissed for a plea deal.

"I don't find it credible that you had no knowledge about what your son had been up to," Judge Giernoth said. 

Detectives found she shined a light for her son to kill a deer last July, which is illegal in Wisconsin. 

Her attorney claims she isn't a hunter and doesn't know the rules. 

"This is not an incident where she was engaged in criminal thinking or showing someone how to do something," said her defense attorney, David Nelson. "She didn't come up with an idea or scheme or plan."

Four community members wrote letters to the court, angry about Kroening and her son's actions. 

The judge said there needs to be a stronger consequence for not holding her son accountable. 

Along with 30 days in jail, she was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.