Woman involved in extensive deer poaching in area convicted of two misdemeanor charges

The woman accused of being involved in poaching more than 100 deer in Fond du Lac, Washington and Dodge counties pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Jessica Kroening was convicted of illegally shining deer and to intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child. Court records show a count of resisting a conservation warden was dismissed.

The charges stem from her role she played with three juveniles from the area that have been found to have been killing deer for over a year in the tri county area. Those minors are also facing charges in juvenile court in the case.

While investigating the case, Kroening admitted to authorities that she she held a spotlight from the back seat of the car while one of the Juveniles shot out of the front driver’s seat.

Police searched Kroening’s vehicle, recovering “a bloody steak knife, a bloody wooden saw, a bloody Milwaukee brand spotlight, three bloody floormats, a .22 caliber bullet, and two bloody pocket knives. She eventually turned over two firearms that the juveniles had used – a .22 caliber rifle and a 7 mm rifle. Both rifles had the serial numbers scratched off.

After police obtained a search warrant for the phone of one of the juveniles, she told police You’re not getting his phone; that’s not happening. when asked about the statement, she stated she had smashed the phone and threw it in a river.

After the verdict was released, reaction on social media was outrage as most thought the charges didn’t fit the crime, saying she got off way to lightly for what she was involved in.