Two Deer Poachers Lose Hunting Privileges

A Frederick man convicted of multiple counts of deer poaching Tuesday had his hunting privileges suspended for two years by a district court judge.

Tyler James Murphy, 21, pleaded guilty to eight charges: failing to report a deer kill, failing to complete the Big Game Harvest Record, failing to report a deer kill within 24 hours, failing to obtain a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp before taking a bonus buck, failing to harvest two antlerless deer before harvesting a bonus antlered deer, and three counts of knowingly making a false statement and recording false information when reporting the harvest of a deer.

Murphy posted pictures on Facebook of an antlerless deer he killed, but did not check in October. A subsequent review of state records indicated that Murphy checked in two antlerless deer Dec. 3, bought a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp that evening and checked in a 10-point buck Dec. 4.

When questioned, Murphy volunteered that he had not killed two antlerless deer Dec. 3 and killed the 10-point buck before buying the bonus stamp.

A Frederick County District Court judge sentenced Murphy to a $1,000 fine, suspended and one year in jail, suspended. In addition to revoking Murphy’s hunting privileges, the judge sentenced him to two year of unsupervised probation and ordered the forfeiture of the 10-point antlers.

In 2015, Murphy was convicted of eight counts of deer and turkey poaching and had an 8-point buck and a 7-point buck seized.

A Cecil County man was sentenced to serve 60 days in jail and had his hunting privileges revoked for four years after he was found guilty Thursday of multiple charges.

Jerry Lee Howell, 27, of Conowingo, was found guilty by a Harford County District Court judge of hunting while intoxicated, possessing a firearm while suspended, hunting with artificial light (jacklighting) and having a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

On Nov. 11 last year shortly after 9:30 p.m., officers responding to complaints of gunfire in Darlington stopped an SUV near the intersection of Shuresville Road and Shures Landing Road that was shining a light into a field.

They found a freshly fired 12-gauge shotgun in the back seat and a spent shell between the passenger seat and the door. Both Howell and the driver, Elena Julia Lazzeri, 26, of Rising Sun, were released at that time pending further investigation.

Then Jan. 20, officers were checking waterfowl hunters on the Susquehanna Flats at the mouth of the river when they encountered Howell with a firearm and ammunition, which he was prohibited from possessing based on a 2016 conviction.

During the arrest, officers also charged Howell in connection with the deer poaching incident in November and later charged Lazzeri for her role in the same incident.

In addition to jail time, Howell was fined $415 and was ordered to serve 18 months of supervised probation. He is scheduled to appear in Cecil County Circuit Court June 2 for violation of probation.

Lazzeri received probation before judgment. She received a $1,500 suspended fine and was placed on supervised probation until Sept. 23, 2018.

Officers in Frederick County charged two area men Wednesday with fishing violations.

Ronald Walter Grochowski, 70, of Mount Airy, received a citation for exceeding the daily creel limit at Owen’s Creek in Thurmont, a put-and-take trout area.

Officers responding to a complaint located Grochowski, who had five trout in the basket he was carrying. When officers asked if he had any additional trout in his vehicle, Grochowski retrieved a plastic bag from behind the passenger seat that contained five additional trout.

A court date has not been set. Grochowski could be fined as much as $1,500, if found guilty.

Later that day officers charged Jason Philip Misner, 37, of Thurmont, with snagging fish and exceeding the daily creel limit at Frank Bentz Pond, a put-and-take trout area.

Officers learned that Misner caught six trout, put them in a bag and had his mother take them home. He continued to fish and caught five more.

A court date has not been set. Misner could be fined as much as $3,000, if found guilty.

Five men were charged this weekend with illegally fishing for striped bass by officers conducting surveillance on Fishing Creek Bridge in Dorchester County.

Sochan Mak, 30, and Nasiet Neak, 35, both of Philadelphia, received citations for possessing striped bass during a closed season. They were stopped shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday and 13 striped bass were seized.

Three hours later, Nelson Alberto Hernandez Lopez, 38, Reynerio Hernandez, 46, and Alvarado Danilo, 46, all of Alexandria, Virginia, were cited for possessing 31 striped bass during a closed season.

All five men are required to appear in Dorchester County District Court. Their hearing date is June 28. If found guilty, they could be fined up to $1,500.