Men accused of cheating to win Clear Lake fishing tourney plead not guilty

Two North Central Iowa men accused of cheating in a Clear Lake fishing tournament in February have filed pleas of not guilty. 

Aaron Lauber, 23, of Clear Lake, and Jason Schuttler, 25, of Manly, were charged by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for 

cheating during a state-sponsored fishing tournament at Clear Lake on Feb. 8.  DNR officials say they received a tip that some of the fish were caught outside the tournament’s hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The men turned in a winning entry of 50 fish at the Yellow Bass Bonanza and won a prize package valued at $1,500. 

Both Lauber and Schuttler have been charged with second-degree theft, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Both were scheduled to be arraigned Monday, March 30, but filed written pleas of not guilty in Cerro Gordo County District Court.  

Online court records show Lauber’s trial is scheduled to start on June 23, but records do not indicate if Schuttler will stand trial on the same date.