Charles County Man Convicted of Dumping; Two Turkey Poachers Charged

Feeder used to bait turkey

Two men were charged with baiting turkey and a man was charged with illegally dumping fish and geese last week in separate cases brought by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. 

A Charles County man was fined $1,000 and sentenced to two year’s probation Wednesday after he was found guilty of illegal dumping.

Reid Nathaniel Franklin, 22, of Benedict, was charged in February after officers were called to private property where a pile of dead geese and fish were dumped.

Officers thought the fish looked similar to those seen in Franklin’s truck on Feb. 3, when he was charged with poaching. They questioned people in the neighborhood and other sources and came to the conclusion he was responsible. When questioned, Franklin acknowledged that he dumped the fish.

Franklin was also found guilty in March in Charles County District Court for failing to have a tidal fish license in relation to the dumping incident.

In a separate incident, Franklin was found guilty in the same court of exceeding the daily bag limit for geese, and hunting without a license and migratory bird stamp, after officers found him and two other hunters with 24 birds. The geese were donated to charity.

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A Pennsylvania man was charged Saturday with hunting over bait after officers on surveillance in Emmitsburg caught him guiding a juvenile who violated several regulations.

During their investigation, the two officers discovered that the youth hunter baited turkeys, had a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells, was using improper shot size, did not report his kill and did not record the turkey—a juvenile male, or jake—on his big game hunting record.

Benjamin Francis Miller Sr., 40, of Fairfield, admitted that he and the juvenile had placed bait in the area before the youth hunt day. Officers reminded Miller of his responsibilities as a mentor and issued warnings to the juvenile.

Miller is scheduled to appear in Frederick County District Court on June 2. If found guilty of the baiting charge, he could be fined as much as $1,500.

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In Garrett County, Paul William Riley, 46, of Oakland, was charged Sunday with hunting turkey over bait.

Officers on patrol noticed shelled corn on the ground and in a feeder within 30 feet of a hunting cabin on Audley Riley Road near Potomac Garrett State Forest.

When they met with Riley and checked the cabin, they found a loaded shotgun and turkey calls near an open window facing the baited area.

Riley is scheduled to appear in Garrett County District Court on June 2. If found guilty, he could be fined as much as $1,500.