Police Handle Striped Bass and Turkey Cases

The opening of spring wild turkey earlier this week resulted in charges by the Maryland Natural Police against two men while officers continued striped bass enforcement efforts on the Eastern Shore.

On Tuesday, officers on patrol at 6:30 a.m. in Washington County issued citations to a Hagerstown man after finding cracked corn spread in front of his hunting blind.

Willis Wayne Kesselring, 68, was charged with hunting turkeys with the aid of bait and hunting turkeys with an unplugged shotgun. The pre-paid fines total $750. If he chooses to contest the charges in Washington County District Court June 21 and is found guilty, he could face a fine up to $4,000.

An officer on patrol in Montgomery County before the opening of turkey season noticed a ground blind at the edge of a grassy field and a feed block filled with seed nearby. He also noticed two turkeys near the baited area.The officer returned Tuesday, opening day and found Jeffrey Michael Tokar, 55, of Gaithersburg in the blind with a shotgun and turkey call.

Tokar was charged with hunting wild turkeys with the aid of bait and hunting forest game with a shotgun holding more than three shells. The pre-paid fines are $750. However, if he chooses to contest the charges in Montgomery County District Court June 6 and is found guilty, he could face a fine up to $3,000.

Continued enforcement at Fishing Creek Bridge in Dorchester County and the Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park in Talbot County this week resulted in 24 people receiving citations and 213 striped bass being seized.

On Sunday just after midnight, officers seized 83 striped bass from a vehicle leaving Fishing Creek Bridge and charged four men.

Julio Mauricio Baquedano Moran, 22, of Greensboro, North Carolina; Luis Galeano Baquedano, 18, of Silver Spring; Samuel Nolasco Pacheco, 33, of Lanham; and Javier Reyes, 33, of Mount Ranier, were each charged with possessing undersized striped bass, possessing striped bass in a prohibited area, a possessing fish over the limit and possessing striped bass outside the legal time. Each charge carries a maximum fine of $1,500.

At about the same time, another vehicle was stopped leaving the bridge with 12 striped bass inside and the three occupants were charged with three fishing violations each: Ivan Alexis Interiano Gladamez, 21, of Germantown and Natividad Interiano Gladamez, 44 and Hermilo Sanchez Bentra, 24, both of Gaithersburg.

On Monday at about 3:30 a.m., officers stopped a vehicle leaving the bridge and found numerous fish in a cooler. The driver was instructed to pull off at a safer area so that citations could be written. As the vehicle drove to the area, someone began throwing fish from the passenger-side window.

Manuel Barahona Cruz, 33, of Temple Hill and Angie Campos Avila, 31, of Alexandria, Virginia, were each charged with possessing undersized striped bass, possessing striped bass in a prohibited area, a possessing fish over the limit. Cruz also was charged with possessing striped bass outside the legal hours.

Twenty-three striped bass were seized from a second vehicle containing Moises DeJesus Majano Canales, 36 and Maria Yohana Barahona Cruz, 34, both of Oxon Hill. Canales received four citations for illegal fishing and Cruz received three.

About the same time, officers charged five men and seized 62 striped bass as they left the bridge. Daniel Escobar Alvarado, 33, Ana Cuellar Jimenez, 42, Genesis Ivania Cuellar, 22 and Jose Roberto Medrano, 20 and John Bradak Medrano Canales, 27, of Temple Hill, each received four citations.

On Saturday night just before midnight, officers stopped a vehicle with five Silver Spring passengers and found 26 striped bass inside. Hector Samuel Martenez Carpio, 37, Esvin Leonel Najera Bueco, 22, Edinson Leonel Bueco Luch, 22, Ferdy Misael Bueco Luch, 24 and Raul Antonio Bueco Berganza, 28, each received three citations for illegal fishing.

All 21 defendants are scheduled to appear in Dorchester County District Court July 19. The maximum fine for each charge is $1,500.

Also late Sunday night, officers charged two men for fishing on suspended recreational licenses. Lenin Gonzalez Fuentes, 35 and Edgar Fuentes DeMata, both of Washington, D.C., must appear in Dorchester County District Court June 28. The maximum fine is $1,000.

At the Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park at 2 a.m. Saturday, officers issued citations to Fernando Geov Vasquez Bautista, 38, of Hyattsville, for having six undersized striped bass, catching striped bass in a designated spawning river and possessing striped bass outside legal hours.

Bautista must appear in Talbot County District Court June 19. The maximum fine for each violation is $1,500.