(Editor’s note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the state of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.)
Abusing the resource (Saratoga County)
On Feb. 3, ECOs Rob Higgins and Steve Shaw responded to a complaint that someone was keeping fish on the catch-and-release section of the Hudson River near Coveville. Higgins and Shaw walked down to the river to check the fisherman, who was inside a portable shanty. Once the man realized the two ECOs were on scene he began throwing fish down a hole into the water. After unsuccessfully attempting to dispose of the evidence, the fisherman was found to be in possession of 22 black crappie and 33 bluegills. Higgins then asked the fisherman if he had more fish inside his sled, to which he replied, “Yeah, I’m done,” while producing two more bags full of fish that brought the total to 55 black crappie and 48 bluegills. Fish that were still alive were released back into the river and the man was issued tickets for taking fish in a catch-and-release area, taking fish over the limit, and taking undersized crappies. The case was pending in Saratoga Town Court.
The fish don’t measure up (New York County)
On Sept. 12, ECOs Brendan Dickson and Max Woyton headed to Manhattan’s Chinatown to conduct fish market inspections, checking the sizes of fish and crustaceans offered for sale. While most were in compliance with state laws and regulations, one of the markets was selling oyster toad fish that appeared to be smaller than the legal limit of 10 inches in length. After measuring the fish offered for sale, the officers determined that six of the fish were undersized. The market was issued a ticket for selling undersized oyster toad fish, returnable to Manhattan Court in New York County.
Under cover of darkness (Westchester County)
On Sept. 13, ECO Craig Tompkins was working a late shift patrolling the Long Island Sound for fishing activity when he observed three groups of fishermen along the shores near Playland Park in the city of Rye. From his vantage point, Tompkins could see that a few anglers were having luck catching fish. The groups continued to fish well into the evening, and one by one departed under the cover of darkness. The officer approached each group as they were walking back to their vehicles to check their catch, finding a total of three out-of-season blackfish, three undersized striped bass, one undersized black sea bass, and three undersized porgy. Six tickets were issued for the out of season and undersized fish. The tickets were returnable to Rye City Court.
Early (and illegal) start to archery season (Delaware County)
On Sept. 15, ECO Nate Doig and Lt. Nate Ver Hague responded to a complaint of a person hunting deer over a pile of corn in the town of Deposit. The property owner’s son-in-law was in the woods checking on the property when he found a large pile of freshly placed corn on the ground. A short distance away, he found a man hiding in some brush. When asked what he was doing, the man stood up with a bow in his hand and said he was hunting. The son-in-law told the hunter that he was trespassing on private property and contacted the ECOs. When Doig and Ver Hague interviewed the subject of the complaint, he claimed that he wasn’t actually hunting, but instead was “scouting.” The subject showed the officers several photos of deer he had seen while walking the property. However, the ECOs determined the photos were not taken from the ground but from a treestand. The subject possessed a camouflage backpack also described by the complainant. The backpack had a drag rope and corn kernels still inside. The man was charged with hunting deer out of season and hunting deer over bait, with the tickets returnable to Deposit Town Court.
Illegal dumping charges (Franklin County)
On Jan. 19, ECO Jennifer Okonuk received a complaint of garbage and construction and demolition debris dumped in the town of Bellmont. Okonuk visited the scene and found a name of a person on several children’s books that were mixed into the pile of debris. Over the next several weeks, the officer successfully tracked down the individual responsible for the dumping. Okonuk met them at the site and worked out details to ensure they cleaned up the area. Tickets were issued for the unlawful disposal of solid waste and for depositing a noisome or unwholesome substance near a public highway, returnable to the Bellmont Town Court.
Training and recruitment (New York City)
On Jan. 19, ECOs Joshua Jarecki and Ryan Kelly gave a presentation on endangered and protected species at the request of the New York City Police Department Animal Cruelty Squad at the NYPD Academy in College Point. The ECOs spoke to 400 future police officers about the state’s environmental conservation law and the regulations concerning the possession, importation and commercialization of legal and illegal wildlife. On Jan. 25, ECO Brendan Dickson and program aide Cynthia Turk participated in the 2019 Beyond Barnard Opportunities Fair at Barnard University in Manhattan. Many students and young professionals were eager to learn how their degrees could lead to a rewarding career at the DEC. Turk and Dickson educated them on the different volunteer and employment opportunities at DEC for both civilian and law enforcement positions.
Drinking and snowmobiling don’t mix (Franklin County)
On Feb. 2, ECOs patrolled the Simonds Pond ice fishing derby in Tupper Lake – an event that draws more than 1,200 fishermen. ECOs John Blades and Scott Pierce observed a snowmobile speed through a group of fishermen, shanties and tip-ups on the far side of the lake and were able to stop the driver. ECOs Jeff Hovey and Nate Favreau and Lt. Mike Phelps determined the operator was intoxicated. The operator, who was traveling at 70 mph, admitted that he had been drinking all morning. He was arrested and brought to the New York State Police barracks for testing, where his blood alcohol level was 0.125 percent, well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. The operator was charged with operating with a blood alcohol higher than .08, operating a snowmobile while intoxicated, operating a snowmobile in excessive speed within 100 feet of a person or shanty, and operating at an imprudent speed.
Joint snowmobile patrols (Fulton County)
On Feb. 2, ECOs Paul Pasciak and Fulton County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris House conducted a snowmobile patrol in the towns of Caroga, Oppenheim and Stratford. An annual poker run was scheduled for the day, so the two officers patrolled to provide public safety for the hundreds of snowmobilers expected during the event. Pasciak and House assisted multiple snowmobilers who had gotten stuck in deep snow or were broken down on the trails. The next day, Pasciak and House were joined by ECO Brian Toth and Deputy Noah Western on the eastern side of Fulton County, patrolling the towns of Perth, Broadalbin and Mayfield. They issued several tickets for unregistered snowmobiles, but no major violations were observed. The ECOs and deputies are planning future joint patrols throughout Fulton County.
ECO discovers missing person (Steuben County)
On Feb. 2, ECO John Lifrieri was traveling on I-86 in the town of Campbell when he observed a car swerving badly in the driving lane. Suspecting intoxication or driver distraction, he stopped the vehicle at the Campbell rest area. Lifrieri immediately noticed that the elderly man seemed confused and unaware of his whereabouts. The man denied taking prescription medications and the ECO did not detect any odor of alcohol. The man’s home address on his driver’s license matched his sister’s registration and he confirmed that he lived with her. Multiple attempts to find a valid phone number for the man’s sister failed. New York State Police arrived to assist Lifrieri, and Steuben County dispatch eventually found that the elderly man had been reported as a missing person earlier that day to Rochester police due to dementia issues. Apparently, he had left his sister’s house for an appointment in the Rochester area and never returned. State police worked with Rochester PD to get the man safely back to his home, and Lifrieri secured the car so that a family member could retrieve it the following day.
ECOs Participate in hunter ed workshop (Saratoga County)
On Feb. 2, ECOs and investigators from DEC Regions 4, 5 and 9 participated in the annual workshop in Ballston Spa for DEC hunter education instructors across the state. The program, hosted by the New York 4-H Shooting Sports Program, included presentations from DEC sportsman education staff and motivational speaker and sportsman Josh Carney. Lt. Nathan VerHague and Lt. Liza Bobseine delivered a presentation on key issues that ECOs encounter in the field that relate to hunter education and treestand safety. Lt. Ken Bruno detailed the hunter related shooting incidents from the previous year, the technology used to investigate and prosecute the cases, and the teachable lessons from each incident. Major Matthew Revenaugh and ECOs Rob Higgins and Steve Shaw were also present to discuss popular themes in hunter education and answer questions from the dedicated men and women who instruct the future hunting and trapping enthusiasts in the state.
Not a whitetail (Cattaraugus County)
On Nov. 25, Lt. Don Pleakis, ECOs Jason Powers, Nate Mead and Wildlife Biologist Ryan Rockefeller responded to a report of a red deer taken in the town of Franklinville. Division of Law Enforcement and the Division of Wildlife had received reports that there was a red deer, a species not native to New York, living in the wild in that area. New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets had attempted to locate the owner but were unsuccessful. On Nov. 23, a 16-year-old female shot her first deer, an unusually large doe. The family field dressed it, transported it to their residence in Farmersville, and called Powers when they became suspicious of the animal. The officers confirmed the doe to be a red deer, weighing roughly 175 pounds.
Bear cub rescued (Ulster County)
On Feb. 3, ECO Adam Johnson received a call from a concerned citizen stating that a bear cub was in a tree close to a local highway in Shandaken. DEC biologists had been attempting to capture a bear cub in that area, and when Johnson arrived he saw the cub was sitting in front of the trap entrance, contemplating if it wanted to follow the treats inside. Finally, the bear cub entered the trap, triggering the door release. With the bear successfully trapped, Johnson brought the cub to a wildlife rehabilitator qualified to care for young bears. The cub was severely dehydrated and malnourished, weighing about 10 pounds. Bear cubs this time of year should be close to 50 pounds and hibernating in dens. The cub’s survival was even more impressive considering that temperatures were well below freezing for weeks leading up to his capture.
The post New York Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – May 3, 2019 appeared first on Outdoornews.
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