Rock Island County, Illinois: Benjamin R. Wynn of Milan has been charged in Rock Island County with two felony counts including Theft by Deceptive Practice and Theft-Failure to Pay Timber Grower. They are Class 3 and Class 4 felonies.
Illinois Conservation Police investigated the complaint against Wynn in April 2014. After purchasing and harvesting timber in Illinois City, Wynne allegedly sold the same logs to three different individuals. The investigation also determined that Wynn was not licensed to purchase timber in Illinois.
Any individual who purchases timber for the purpose of sawing trees into lumber for processing or for resale must have a Timber Buyer's License issued by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The Illinois Conservation Police encourage landowners to confirm the individual has a Timber Buyer's License. It is also recommended any contracts or agreements regarding the cutting, selling, and/ or purchasing of timber be documented in a writing.
Anyone with questions or additional information regarding the investigation should contact the Illinois Conservation Police at (217) 782-6431.
