NRP Blotter

Four men were charged over the past week with illegal hunting activities by Maryland Natural Resources Police officers in the Western Region.

A Washington County man received a citation for deer hunting during a closed season Monday afternoon after he admitted shooting a buck with a rifle on the Roulette Farm on Snyder’s Landing Road.

Jackie Lee Rohere, 68, of Sharpsburg, was holding a compound bow when approached by NRP officers. But an inspection of the deer determined it was killed with a rifle round and Rohere admitted he swapped weapons before officers arrived.

An additional citation for a crop damage permit violation is pending. Rohere’s permit stipulated that only antlerless deer could be harvested.

Rohere is scheduled to appear in Washington District Court on April 2. If found guilty of the charge of hunting in a closed season, he could be fined a maximum of $1,500.

Also in Washington County, an NRP officer last Saturday charged a Hagerstown man with hunting deer during a closed season.

Acting on tips, which included a description of the vehicle and a photograph of a license plate, an officer went to the home of Curtis Warren Myers, 44, who admitted he shot a deer with a .22-caliber rifle on Dam No. 5 Road adjacent to the C&O Canal.

The officer seized the rifle and the deer, which was donated to the Hagerstown Rescue Mission.

Myers is scheduled to appear in Washington District Court on March 17. If found guilty, he could be fined a maximum of $1,500.

In Garrett County, an officer on patrol near Russell Road last Friday at 9:15 p.m. saw a light shining from a vehicle into a field. After stopping the vehicle, the officer found a loaded Winchester .30-30 rifle and spotlight inside.

Casey Joe Douglass, 24, of Finzel was charged with casting rays with an implement (jacklighting) and having a loaded weapon in his vehicle. Thomas Cody Symons, 20, of Frostburg received citations for the same two violations plus a citation for under-aged possession and consumption of alcohol. Both men are scheduled to appear in Garrett District Court on April 15; the spotlighting citation requires the defendant to appear in court.

The spotlight and rifle were seized as evidence.