Fishermen accused of stuffing fish with weights plead not guilty to cheating

Two men accused of stuffing five walleye with lead weights and fish fillets during a lucrative fishing tournament on Lake Erie pleaded not guilty to cheating and other charges on Wednesday.

Jacob Runyan, 42, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, made no comments during their brief court appearances in Cleveland. Their attorneys declined to comment about the case after the hearing.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor James Gutierrez also declined to comment, referring questions to a spokesperson.