Maryland Natural Resources Police Cite Four Men for Poaching

Officers Also Assist in Finding Lost Hunters in Worcester County

Four Prince George’s County men were charged with deer poaching Saturday evening and their firearms, compound bow and tree stand were seized.

Acting on a citizen complaint, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Prince George’s County officers went to a construction site near Ritchie Marlboro Road, where four vehicles were parked. At about 7:15 p.m., the suspects left the woods and attempted to drive away, when they were stopped by police. One man ran from the scene.

Officers asked the detained men to call the fourth suspect, who returned for questioning. A total of 17 citations were issued:

• Rosalino Ortiz Santos, 49, of Lanham, was charged with two counts of failing to field tag deer, hunting without a license, hunting without written permission, and one count of eluding a police officer.
• Omero Alvarez-Cruz, 32 of Hyattsville, received citations for deer hunting with a rifle in a shotgun-only county, hunting without a license, hunting without written permission, and driving without a license.
• Armondo Espinoza, 49, of Lanham, was charged with hunting with a shotgun out of season, hunting without written permission, and failing to have his hunting license with him.
• Ciro Andres, 47, of Lanham, was charged with hunting with a rifle in a shotgun-only county and hunting without written permission.

In addition to confiscating property, officers also seized two does and a five-point antler shed.

All four men are scheduled to appear in Prince George’s County District Court Dec. 27. Each man could be fined as much as $3,000.

A College Park man was charged Thursday with illegally fishing striped bass by an officer on surveillance at the Kent Narrows watermen’s wharf.

Epifanio Malave, 62, received citations for keeping nine undersized striped bass and keeping seven fish over the daily limit. He was charged as a second-time offender after being convicted in 2015 of the same offenses at the same location.

Malave is scheduled to appear in Queen Anne’s County District Court Dec. 7. If convicted on both counts, he could be sentenced to serve up to one year in prison and be fined up to $4,000.

Three lost hunters were located and guided from the Foster Tract of the Pocomoke State Forest, just outside of Snow Hill Saturday evening.

The men called 911 at about 7:30 p.m. to say they had become disoriented as sunset approached and could not find their vehicle. Worcester County Emergency Services dispatchers were able to direct Natural Resources Police officers and Worcester deputy sheriffs to the general location.

Using four-wheel drive vehicles, the officers found the men in less than an hour. The hunters were unharmed.