Maryland Oyster Pirates: John Thomas Murphy and James Edward Tyler charged with Poaching in Sanctuary near Tilghman Island
The Maryland Natural Resources Police charged the following men with violations in Cecil, Garrett and Talbot counties.
Two Talbot County watermen were charged last Friday by NRP officers with illegal oyster harvesting.
John Thomas Murphy, 36, of Tilghman, and James Edward Tyler Jr., 35, of Wittman, were caught taking oysters from more than 150 feet inside the Harris Creek Sanctuary off Tilghman Island.
They are scheduled to appear in Talbot District Court on Jan. 15. If found guilty, each man could be fined a maximum of $3,000.
James Edward Tyler Jr. was charged on April 18, 2010 by a Maryland State Trooper assigned to the Easton Barrack, with DUI at 1:51 am. Tyler was stopped on Rt. 33 at Chicken Neck Road. Tyler obtained the services of noted criminal defense attorney Stephanie Shipley, who often makes prosecutors fold their cases without a fight when she is hired. Tyler was given a probation before judgment, fined $500 and got no jail time in Talbot County District Court on Sept. 20, 2010.
John Thomas Murphy was cited by NRP Officer Guy Wells with possession of unculled oysters on Jan. 1, 1995.
John Thomas Murphy was cited on March 24, 2000 with possession of unculled oysters by NRP Officer Guy Wells. On May 19, 2000, he appeared in Talbot County District Court where he was fined $50 and put on unsupervised probation before judgment. No jail time was assessed.
Murphy was cited on Dec. 28, 1999 by NRP Officer B. Ball with possession of undersized oysters and on March 8, 2000, he was found guilty in Talbot County District Court and fined $170.00.
Murphy was charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon on June 11, 2001 and on Aug. 8, 2001 the charges were dropped by Talbot County States Attorney.
Murphy was charged with driving with a suspended registration on Tilghman Island Road on Dec. 28, 2011 at 11:00 am by Talbot County Deputy Mitchell. He entered a guilty plea on April 30, 2012 and was given probation before judgment and a fine of thirty-seven dollars. He was represented by Public Defender Glenn D. Klakring, a taxpayer-provided attorney.
Bad Sports to Meet the Judge
OAKLAND, MD. — In Garrett County, three men were charged last Tuesday with illegal deer hunting at night after officers observed them using their vehicle’s headlights to illuminate a field off Eagle Rock Road in Oakland.
After stopping the pick-up truck, NRP officers found a rifle and ammunition, and a crossbow and two bolts on the back seat. The equipment was seized.
The driver, Brandon Scott Burns, 22, of Oakland, received citations for hunting deer at night, hunting deer during a closed season and casting rays with an implement (jacklighting). If convicted of all charges, Burns faces maximum penalties of a $2,950 fine, up to six months in jail and hunting license revocation of from two to five years.
Christopher Jacob Miller, 19, of Oakland, who was in the front passenger seat, and Stephen Michael Collins, 19, of Oakland, who was in the back seat, each received citations for hunting deer at night, hunting deer during a closed season, casting rays with an implement (jacklighting), and under-aged possession of alcohol. If convicted of all charges, the two men each face maximum penalties of a $3,450 fine, up to six months in jail and hunting license revocation lasting from two to five years.
All three men are schedule to appear in Garrett District Court on Jan. 21.
Also in Garrett County, officers charged a hunter from Rocky Ridge on Sunday with hunting while under the influence of alcohol.
Roger Leroy Finneyfrock, 61, was stopped for a routine hunting license check by officers patrolling near the Metiki Coal Co. property. The hunter appeared to be under the influence and failed field sobriety tests.
Finneyfrock was arrested and taken to the State Police barracks in McHenry, where he registered a blood alcohol content of .16 during a breathalyzer test.
He is scheduled to appear in Garrett District Court on Jan. 14.
In Cecil County, a hunter was charged on Nov. 12 with multiple violations of natural resources laws.
Mark Alan Wingler, 42, of Havre de Grace, was issued citations for hunting without a license, hunting with a rifle during a closed season and failing to tag a deer. The hunter was found on private property in Cecil County, but the white-tailed deer was illegally killed and transported from Harford County.
Wingler is scheduled to appear in Harford District Court on Jan. 21.
- Two Talbot County watermen were charged last Friday by NRP officers with illegal oyster harvesting. John Thomas Murphy, 36, of Tilghman, and James Edward Tyler Jr., 35, of Wittman, were caught taking oysters from more than 150 feet inside the Harris Creek Sanctuary off Tilghman Island.
