In the fall of 2023, the hunting world thought it had a new king. A man named Christopher J. Alexander—mostly known as "CJ"—posed with a mainframe 18-point whitetail that looked like something out of a dream. Or a high-end taxidermy catalog. It was massive. The "Alexander Buck" green-scored at a staggering 206 7/8 inches typical. For context, that would have comfortably shattered the Ohio state record and sat as the third-largest typical whitetail ever recorded in North American history.
It was the kind of deer that changes a life.
Except, it wasn't a hero's story. It was a heist. By December 2024, the truth had fully unraveled in a Clinton County courtroom, ending with CJ Alexander being sentenced to jail time and hit with the largest restitution fine for a single deer in the history of the state of Ohio.
The Legend of "Megatron" and the Staged Kill
The original story felt a bit too perfect. CJ claimed he was hunting on a whim on his sister’s 30-acre tract in Clinton County. He said he’d never seen the deer before. He told magazines and podcasts that he’d borrowed a crossbow and a tree stand, sat down, and this "ghost" of a buck just stepped out.
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People loved it. He was the underdog who struck gold.
But investigators from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) weren't buying the "random luck" narrative. Why? Because hunters in that area knew that deer. They called him "Megatron." And they knew he didn't live on 30 acres of open ground with a pond. He lived on a specific 49-acre patch of private land where CJ didn't have permission to be.
Basically, CJ wasn't just a lucky hunter; he was a strategic trespasser.
The investigation, led by Officers Matt Roberts and Isaiah Gifford, used the one thing poachers always forget: digital footprints. GPS metadata from photos and text messages told a much different story than the one CJ was selling to North American Whitetail. He had been stalking this specific buck on land he knew was off-limits. He’d park in hidden spots or get dropped off under the cover of darkness. When he finally killed the deer on November 9, 2023, he didn't call the game warden to celebrate. He called his sister and some friends to help him move the carcass to a "legal" property to stage the photos.
The Motive: "Stupid Money"
We often think of poaching as someone just wanting meat or a trophy for their wall. This was different. This was business.
During the trial, the prosecution dropped a bombshell text message CJ sent to his fiancée weeks before the kill. He wrote: “I’m gonna get offered stupid money for this deer head babe Like buying house type money This deer is gonna make us money.”
That's the smoking gun.
He wasn't just after the antlers; he was after the fame and the endorsements. He actually succeeded for a minute. He sold the rights to his story to a national magazine. he signed a promotional agreement with a hunting company. He even got an antler buyer to shell out cash. In total, he reportedly raked in about $20,000 from these deals before the law caught up to him.
Honesty is usually the best policy, but for CJ, the lie was the product.
The Massive Legal Fallout
When the hammer finally came down in late 2024, it was heavy. You don't just steal a state treasure and walk away with a slap on the wrist.
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CJ Alexander pleaded guilty to 14 charges. This included two felonies: theft by deception and tampering with evidence. The rest were a laundry list of misdemeanors like jacklighting, hunting without permission, and the sale of wildlife parts.
Here is the breakdown of what the "Megatron" buck actually cost him:
- Jail Time: He was sentenced to 180 days. He had to serve 90 days at the Star Community Justice Center.
- Financial Ruin: He was ordered to pay $35,071.73 in restitution for the record buck alone. Because he also poached a second buck that same season, the total restitution jumped to nearly $40,000.
- Additional Costs: On top of the restitution, he had to pay $2,000 to the media groups he defrauded, $1,000 to the "Turn In a Poacher" (TIP) hotline, and various other fines. The total bill cleared **$43,000**.
- License Revocation: He lost his hunting privileges for 10 years. If he hasn't paid back every cent of that $43,000 by then, he still won't get his license back.
- Forfeiture: The ODNR kept everything. The crossbow, the gear, and obviously, those 200-inch antlers.
His accomplices didn't get off easy either. His sister, Kristina Alexander, and his friends Corey and Zachary Haunert all faced fines, probation, and community service for their roles in the cover-up.
Why the CJ Alexander Case Still Matters
This case changed how record-book deer are handled in the Midwest. It showed that "social media fame" is now a primary motivator for wildlife crime.
Critics often argue that these fines are too high, but whitetail deer are a billion-dollar industry in states like Ohio. When a poacher steals a world-class animal, they aren't just taking a deer; they are stealing a resource from the public and defrauding the entire hunting community.
There's also the "E-E-A-T" factor for the hunting industry itself. Magazines and podcasts took a major hit to their credibility for giving CJ a platform before the investigation was cold. It’s a reminder that if a story seems too good to be true—like a 200-inch buck appearing out of nowhere on a 30-acre lot—it probably is.
Interestingly, CJ eventually did a "tell-all" interview on the Deer IQ podcast in 2025 after his conviction. He expressed regret, sure, but the damage was done. The "Alexander Buck" will never be in the record books. It sits in an evidence locker, a somber reminder of what happens when greed outruns ethics.
Actionable Insights for Hunters and Landowners:
- Verify Permission: If you are a landowner, always require written permission for hunters. This was the specific legal thread that allowed the ODNR to pull apart CJ's story.
- Check Metadata: If you see a "miracle" harvest on social media, remember that modern game wardens are tech-savvy. They can and will track GPS data from "hero shots."
- Use the TIP Line: This case started because people in the community spoke up. If you see something "off" about a local harvest, report it to your state's poaching hotline.
- Value the Resource: Understand that in many states, restitution is calculated based on the score of the antlers. Poaching a "trophy" isn't a misdemeanor anymore; it's a life-altering financial liability.