Ex-Oregon prison officer fined $114K, banned from hunting for life in massive poaching case

Umatilla, Oregon — A former state prison officer in Oregon was sentenced to probation, fined more than $114,000 and banned from hunting for life after pleading guilty to various wildlife crimes.

Christopher Matson, 48, of Umatilla, faced 67 criminal charges after the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division caught him poaching big-game animals, including a black bear, and in possession of illegal firearms. The charges spanned multiple counties.

OSP served a search warrant in February 2025 after receiving information in 2024 that Matson had illegally taken big-game animals. During the search, multiple big game and firearms were seized.

“This is another example of serial poaching which rises to the level of felony conduct based solely on the repeated poaching conduct and impact of one individual on Oregon’s game mammals,” Oregon Department of Justice Wildlife Anti-Poaching resource prosecutor Jay Hall said in a statement. “The conduct across the several counties amounts to one of the highest damage amounts done to Oregon wildlife by any singular actor.”

HUNTING FEATURES FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

What about a mutt for your next bird dog? Get the most out of your mixed-breed in the field

A beginner’s guide to building your own hunting arrows

How whitetail bucks pull off one of the great regeneration tricks in nature

Matson pleaded guilty June 18 in Grant County Circuit Court to four counts of unlawfully taking buck deer and three counts of unlawfully taking black bear. The court sentenced him to 18 months of probation and to forfeit all seized firearms, 300 hours of community service, a lifetime hunting license ban, and a $52,500 fine to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Matson also pleaded guilty June 29 in Umatilla County Circuit Court to unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle, silencer and multiple wildlife. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful take of mule deer. The court sentenced him to 24 months of probation, 300 hours of community service, a lifetime hunting license ban, and a $62,000 fine payable to the ODFW.

In both cases, Matson had to forfeit all property seized.

OSP thanked the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for assistance with interviews and evidence collection, as well as the witnesses who provided information during the investigation.