Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky, two fishermen who were accused of cheating during the Lake Erie Walleye Trail fishing tournament last September will serve jail time for the crime. They were sentenced on Thursday to ten-day jail terms and other penalties, including the forfeiture of a boat valued at $100,000.

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Who are Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky?

Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky were set to win $28,760 prize money until Jason Fischer, Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament director, became suspicious of the fish turned in by them. They were disqualified from the tournament.

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Runyan, 43, is from Ashtabula Ohio. Cominsky, 36, is from Hermitage, Pennsylvania.

 The walleye in the bucket looked like they each weighed around four pounds, but the total weight showed they would have to be at least seven pounds each, Fischer said.

 The crowd at Gordon Park in Cleveland witnessed Fischer cutting the freshwater fish open and discovering weighs and walleye fillets stuffed inside.

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Under the plea deal, the two pleaded guilty in March to cheating and unlawful ownership of wild animals. Runyan and Cominsky agreed to three-year suspensions of their fishing licenses. The 36-year-old also agreed to give up his bass boat worth $100,000.

After completing their jail terms, Runyan and Cominsky will serve a year and a half on probation. They must pay $2,500 each, however, half of the fine will be waived if they each make a $1,250 donation to a non-profit organization that promoted fishing among children.

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Runyan could be seen silently watching while the audience in the crowd screamed insults at him.

They could face an additional 30-day county jail sentence if they violate their probation.

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In the spring of 2022, Runyan and Cominsky were investigated near Toledo after being accused of cheating in a different walleye tournament, according to court documents.