CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A no-contest plea to a series of game law violations by an employee of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has raised questions.
The case involved Geoffrey Brinker, 37, a Wildlife Resources Specialist with the DNR’s District 2 office in Romney.
Brinker was cited by Natural Resources Police with three game law violations over a deer killed during the 2025 hunting season in Hampshire County. He was cited for failure to obtain a Class RG resident or Class RRG nonresident gun deer hunting stamp, illegal possession of wildlife, and failure to properly electronically register deer. The citations were issued December 4, 2025 in Hampshire County.
According to court records, Brinker pleaded no-contest to all three misdemeanor counts May 8, 2026 in Hampshire County Magistrate Court. His fine was assessed at $1,119.44.
The case has recently come to light in social media posts over the level of fine. The citation indicated the illegally taken 7-point buck had an inside spread of 20.25 to 20.5 inches. Under state code, the enhanced trophy replacement fee would have put such a buck at a fine and replacement cost of $10,500.
“Officers have a level of discretion and when racks are on the small side of ‘trophy’ definition, they look at it and try to determine if a magistrate is going to pass it through,” said DNR Director Brett McMillion. “I can’t speak for the officer, but my suspicion is he looked at it and didn’t believe it met the true definition of a trophy.”
According to the citation the deer was killed on private land.
Brinker remains employed with the agency. McMillion said there is no higher standard for DNR employees with regard to game law violations, unless they are in a position of law enforcement.
“If it’s a DNR employee in a particular position of law enforcement, that might be the case, but this gentleman doesn’t fall into that category. He’s just a standard, classified state employee under standard DOP rules and policy,” McMillion explained.
He further added the case is already over.
“Do we want to be held to a higher standard, likely so, but their basic rights, as any other state employee would apply,” he explained. “He didn’t do it on the job, it had no effect on his work performance, and it wasn’t in the area of assignment. He paid his fine through the magistrate court system and the case is closed.”