Natural Resources Police Handle Fishing and Hunting Cases

Capture Aided by Newest K-9 Officer

The Maryland Natural Resources Police handled illegal fishing and hunting cases in recent days.

After several attempts to catch deer poachers in a small wooded tract in Brooklyn Park, officers called on one of the agency’s newest K-9 units to successfully track the suspects.

Charles Andrew Schultz Sr., 51, and Joseph John Schultz, 22, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, were each charged with hunting on private land.

Officers had received several complaints about illegal hunting activity in the woods backing up to Matthews Avenue only to have the suspects escape along a series of trails.

On Halloween morning, officers got a tip that illegal hunting was occurring. This time, they called on Ruckus and his handler. The dog led officers directly to the two suspects.

The two men are scheduled to appear in Anne Arundel County District Court Jan. 20. If found guilty, they could each be fined up to $1,500.

A Mount Airy man with previous convictions for illegal hunting was charged Nov. 6 with hunting without a license, hunting on private property without written permission, failing to obtain a hunter safety certificate and failing to purchase an archery stamp.

Zachery Paul Shipley, 19, was hunting in a tree stand off Catoctin Mountain Highway in Frederick County, when an officer spotted him.

During questioning, the officer recognized Shipley’s name and recalled his prior court cases. Shipley was convicted in April of hunting without written permission and placed on probation in June for hunting without a license, and failing to have a safety certificate.

The officer seized a compound bow and an arrow, and will be asking Frederick County District Court for forfeiture Dec. 29. As a repeat offender, Shipley faces increased fines totaling a maximum of $20,000 and up to one year in jail.

In Dorchester County, officers on surveillance near Fishing Creek Bridge Saturday charged a man with poaching striped bass having charged him the previous day with fishing without a license.

Luis Ricardo Banegus Aguilar, 32, of Silver Spring, received citations for possession of nine undersized striped bass, exceeding the daily creel limit, fishing outside legal hours and not having a fishing license.

Aguilar is scheduled to appear in Dorchester County District Court Jan. 18. If found guilty, he could be fined as much as $4,500.

Officers working overnight at the Kent Narrows Bridge charged a Baltimore man with striped bass poaching Oct. 28 after finding him with 19 undersized fish.

Jose Nelson Hernandez Martinez, 25, received citations for exceeding the daily creel limit, keeping undersized fish and fishing outside legal hours. Officers seized the fish and returned them to the water.

He has a Dec. 1 date in Queen Anne’s County District Court. If found guilty, he could be fined as much as $3,000.