A Mississippi man has been sentenced for several wildlife crimes, including headlighting deer.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) said that William Langston, Jr., 24, of Brandon, was taken into custody in Madison County by MDWFP Conservation Officers and Madison County deputies on January 9, 2025, for headlighting deer and killing a domestic cat.
During the arrest, officers seized two Blackout rifles, one with a thermal sight and suppressor, and a .22 caliber rifle with a silencer.
According to MDWFP, the subsequent investigation into Langston’s illegal hunting activities resulted in charges in Madison and Rankin counties, including:
- 21 counts of headlighting deer
- 19 counts of hunting from a public roadway
- Unlawful possession of illegally taken white-tailed deer
- Exceeding the annual bag limit for white-tailed deer
- One felony count under the Mississippi Pet Protection Act
Langston pleaded guilty in both Madison and Rankin Counties’ justice courts to all wildlife counts. The Madison County Circuit Court placed him in a pretrial diversion program for a crime under the Mississippi Pet Protection Act.
According to authorities, as a result of the convictions, Langston was ordered by the two justice courts to pay a total fine of $77,244. Furthermore, the MDWFP suspended his hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses for three years.
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