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Outlaw hunting guide goes to federal pen By MARK FREEMAN EUGENE � An outlaw Southern Oregon hunting guide added a new title to what authorities say is his resume as a wildlife criminal, liar, thief, forger, witness tamperer and jury-rigger: that of federal prisoner. William "Dollar Bill" Danielson, 47, of Jacksonville, will serve 18 months in federal prison and will pay a $20,000 fine for his wildlife conviction for illegally selling a set of Southern Oregon blacktail deer antlers to a South Carolina man in 1996. U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken sentenced Danielson after declaring he committed "incredibly outrageous" acts of obstruction of justice in this case by trying to intimidate a witness against him, forging financial documents, regularly lying and attempting to tamper with jurors during his April 2000 trial � all to cover his tracks for abusing Oregon�s wildlife in the name of sport. "You think the rules don�t apply to you," Aiken told Danielson, who sipped water from a paper cup and leaned on the defense table while Aiken read her ruling following a daylong hearing Thursday in Eugene. "This state lives and dies by its natural resources," Aiken said. "It is troubling that you have so little regard for so dear a place." U.S. marshals immediately led Danielson in handcuffs from the courtroom to the Lane County Jail, where he was scheduled to spend Thursday night before transferring to a federal prison at Sheridan. Prosecutors had sought a five-year term for Danielson, saying he deserved the maximum sentence because of his obstruction of justice, past felony convictions for theft and burglary, and his alleged long-time pattern of illegally guiding, poaching big-game animals and defrauding legitimate sport-hunters who hired him. While Aiken agreed with most of prosecutor Jeff Kent�s assertions about Danielson�s activities and character, she gave them less weight in sentencing than Kent asked for. "I strongly felt that there needed to be an upgrade" in his sentence, said Kent, who dubbed Danielson "Dollar Bill" for his anything-for-a-buck attitude. "But I just make recommendations. She rules." Defense attorney Bryan Lessley argued for a lighter sentence, acknowledging in court that Danielson was a manipulative opportunist who "jerked people around" and did not miss a chance to sidestep responsibility for the crime. Yet, Lessley said, a light punishment fit Danielson�s first, and only, wildlife conviction. "He�s done everything he can to worm out of this," Lessley said. "(But) Bill Danielson has been convicted of selling a single set of deer antlers at a single instance." Kent said he may appeal the sentence. A federal jury convicted Danielson last April of a single felony count of violating the Lacey Act, which bans selling, buying or transporting across state lines any fish or wildlife taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of state law. Selling antlers or any other part of a blacktail deer is illegal under state law, and the transporting of those antlers over the Oregon border qualified the case for federal prosecution. Danielson maintained his innocence throughout his trial, during which he allegedly tried to persuade a witness to alter testimony in his favor. Danielson also asked a former tenant to pose as an author and attempt to form a relationship with one of the jurors, then try to persuade the juror into believing the government had a "Mickey Mouse" case against him. But the former tenant instead cooperated with federal authorities and captured Danielson�s plan on tape while wearing a hidden microphone. Much of Thursday�s hearing centered around prosecutors� attempts to force Danielson to pay for his court-appointed public defender, who Kent said had mounted a $100,000 defense paid for by taxpayers. Kent tried to show that Danielson forged loan documents and intentionally hid assets in the names of his wife and family members. The case included showing documents of purported 1995 and �96 "loans" to Danielson from his mother, Irma Fleming of Lebanon, that were actually written on forms not created until last year and sent by fax for Fleming to sign just last month. Lessley acknowledged that the actions were tantamount to obstruction, but he argued that they did not prove that Danielson could afford his own attorney. Aiken agreed with Lessley and refused to order Danielson to pay for his defense, but she terminated his public defender and left open the door for prosecutors to continue pursuing Danielson for his defense costs. Senior Trooper David Owren, from the Oregon State Police�s special wildlife investigation unit that dogged Danielson for more than four years, said he was extremely disappointed at what he called a light sentence and fine. But Owren was most incensed about Danielson receiving the free legal defense. "To me, that�s ridiculous," Owren said after the hearing. "I�ve seen what (Danielson) makes. I know he makes good money, more than I do, and I don�t believe I could get a court-appointed attorney. It just doesn�t seem right." In imposing the fine, Aiken ordered the $20,000 to be paid immediately, but acknowledged Danielson could make $300 monthly payments during a three-year federal probation that begins after his release from prison. "Every time you make a payment, I hope it will serve as a reminder, very simply, very succinctly, that crime does not pay," Aiken said. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] . 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