An Evansville man is accused of stealing timber in Posey and Gibson counties.
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The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says 40-year-old Christopher Collins is being held at the Posey County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond.
In a release, the DNR said conservation officers identified 17 victims who have not received payment for their timber going back as far as 2018.
Conservation officers began their investigation in 2019 after receiving information that Collins had failed to pay for timber as agreed to in Gibson County.
The DNR says the probe revealed that Collins failed to pay more than $250,000 for timber he purchased over a two-year period.
The agency says Collins had operated under the several business names, including: C&K Forestry
Management, C&M Forestry, Blackhaus Forestry, and Collins Family Forestry.
He faces numerous charges in both Gibson and Posey counties, Theft, Check Deception and Corrupt Business Influence.
The DNR says if you or someone you know has been a victim of timber theft, you’re asked to call Indiana Conservation Central Dispatch at 812-837-9536.