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To the District Attorney, District Attorney Staff, and Elected Representatives of Siskiyou County,
I am writing to raise serious concerns about a (previous) staff member of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Mr. Kent Laudon, and what appears to be a troubling pattern of DUI-related offenses, record suppression, and public endangerment.
In 2025, Mr. Laudon’s most recent DUI arrest was briefly removed from public view and reinstated only after public outcry. A Google search for “Kent Laudon DUI” returns at least seven image previews dating back to 2017, yet nearly all publicly available court and sheriff’s department records have disappeared. One example appears in a cached Instagram post by the Mt. Shasta Police Department (August 5, 2024), which stated: “60-year-old Kent Jerome Laudon was arrested for Driving Under … Alcohol Content over 0.08% and for Driving Suspended for DUI or Drugs.” That post has since been edited or removed. (See attached.)
In his current DUI case (Case No. 25CM02491), a hearing occurred on April 8, 2025, with a second arraignment scheduled for May 13. This unusual delay raises concerns about whether Mr. Laudon receives accommodations not typically extended to repeat offenders.
There are reports that Mr. Laudon offered rides to coworkers. When combined with consistent accounts of his drinking and disregard for restrictions, this behavior may have placed others at risk—potentially under implied professional pressure. He has also been observed drinking in both public and professional settings.
There are multiple documented instances of Mr. Laudon referring to himself as “feral” and labeling efforts at accountability as “smear campaigns,” while insisting that others are “threatened” by him. This rhetoric appears designed to construct a persona of rugged self-reliance—invoking imagery of wildness to reject institutional oversight and reframe legal scrutiny as a form of personal attack. Such framing functions as a rhetorical shield, recasting boundary-breaking behavior as individualism rather than misconduct. It also inverts victimhood—positioning Mr. Laudon not as the subject of concern, but as the alleged target of persecution—thereby deflecting attention from the actual public safety risks posed by his actions.
When paired with a documented pattern of DUI offenses and alleged efforts to suppress or minimize consequences, this posture raises serious concerns. It not only undermines accountability, but may also delay necessary intervention—leaving the public vulnerable to further harm.
If institutions have shielded him from consequences, they have endangered the public and enabled repeated violations. This also represents a breach of public trust and a failure of their ethical and legal responsibilities to protect the public good.
Who will be held responsible if this pattern of potential negligence results in harm? Please issue a public statement on how these matters have been handled.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen
Disclosure:
The statements in this letter are based on direct personal observation and public material. The author is willing to serve as a witness to the referenced conduct, and this letter is submitted in good faith in the interest of public safety and accountability.
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