LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – Three East Texans were arrested by the Texas Game Wardens in connection to a deer poaching ring spanning four states.

According to the Game Wardens, Carson Bottoms, 21 of Longview, Drake Cannon, 24 of Mount Pleasant, and Reagan Farquharson, 18 of Heath, had been investigated over a three-year period.

“In my 23 years as a game warden, I have witnessed and investigated many troubling wildlife related crimes,” Captain Shawn Hervey said. “But these crimes were egregious. Crimes of this sort don’t just harm hunting opportunities, they can negatively impact the local ecosystem and Texas resources for years to come.”

The three are accused of allegedly hunting primarily white-tailed deer without landowner consent, and officials said they and their co-conspirators are believed to have shot more than 100 white-tailed deer during that time.

“It is also believed that some of the white-tailed deer have been processed and illegally sold,” officials said.

Officials said the three men were arrested separately, and booked into their respective county jails, but out-of-state accusations will be forwarded to the appropriate agency, including the Game Warden partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to determine possible federal charges.

“The case is still an active investigation with the possibility of more arrests and additional charges,” officials said. “More details will be released upon further developments.”