DNREC Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Blotter: April 3-9

Reminder for the week: Turkey season opens April 13

To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, between April 3 and April 9 DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents made 1,135 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters and the general public, including 12 boating safety/fishing regulation compliance checks. Agents responded to 36 complaints and issued 41 citations. Incidents of particular note included:
On April 8, following an investigation, agents arrested Howard B. Carter IV, 35, of Middletown and charged him with possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, hunting from a roadway, third degree conspiracy, hunting wild turkey without a permit, failure to register wild turkey, illegal possession of wild turkey, hunting wild turkey during a closed season and failure to wear required camouflage while hunting wild turkey. Carter was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 in New Castle and released pending a later trial in a higher court. 

Agents arrested two local fugitives. On April 4, Lanier L. Bright, 41, of Millsboro, was taken into custody on a Justice of the Peace Court warrant and released after posting bail. Bright was also cited for trespassing after hours in a state wildlife area. On April 8, Sarah King, 40, of Millsboro, was taken into custody on a Justice of the Peace Court 3 warrant and committed to Sussex Correctional Institute in default of bond. King and a companion were also cited for trespassing after hours in a state wildlife area.

On April 5, a 24-year-old Wilmington man was cited for possession of an undersized snapping turtle, which the man had offered for sale online. Agents also issued a warning to the man about two other turtles found in his possession for which he did not have a permit. All three turtles were turned over to Division of Fish and Wildlife’s aquatic education staff.

Citations issued by violation type included the following, with the number of charges in parentheses:

Wildlife Conservation: Possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle (1), hunting from a roadway (1), hunting wild turkey without required permit (1), failure to register wild turkey (1), illegal possession of wild turkey (1), hunting wild turkey during a closed season (1), and failure to wear required camouflage while hunting wild turkey (1), and possession of an undersized snapping turtle (1), New Castle County; Trespassing after hours in a state wildlife area (8), illegally offering antlered deer parts for sale (2), commercialization of native wildlife (1), and an international wildlife trafficking violation for offering for sale a taxidermy-mounted bear (1)*, Sussex County.
* A press release on the commercialization of wildlife case was issued earlier this week. To see it, click: Milford man charged with illegally selling mounted wildlife .
Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (6), fishing in a closed trout stream (3), over limit trout (1), and no trout stamp (1), New Castle County.
Public Safety: Parking violations related to trout season opening day (8), New Castle County.
Other: Criminal mischief (1), and third degree conspiracy (1), Sussex County.