Hillbilly Poachers Greedy Geese Gang & Pot-head Duck Hunters DUI (Deadheads Under Influence)

Greedy Goose Gang and Pot-Head Duck Hunters

UPDATE

Quick Action in ‘Let’s Make A Plea Deal’ – Charles County States Attorney Anthony Covington Makes Sure No Goose Poacher Pays A Dime in Fines!

A man who was one of a group of hunters who are charged with taking two dozen more geese than allowed on one day has already skated in a sweet plea deal with one of Maryland’s good old boy prosecutors.

Reid Nathaniel Franklin, of 13014 W. Hatton Place in Newburg, Md., was cited on Feb. 8, 2016, on a charge by NRP Officer Arillo of failing to possess a migratory game bird stamp. In a plea deal with Charles County States Attorney Anthony Covington on Feb. 24, 2016, Franklin entered a guilty plea in exchange for a fine of ZERO. Franklin still faces 3 charges of dumping dead fish on private property and will appear in Charles County District Court on April 20, 2016.

On the charge of exceeding the limit on wild waterfowl, States Attorney Covington, in the legal discretion allowed the elected States Attorney of Charles County, Maryland, agreed to a plea deal in which Franklin admitted he was guilty and paid ZERO fine. No fine, no time.  The maximum fine was $1,500.

Franklin was charged, along with two others, earlier this month with poaching geese and was cited by officers for dumping dead geese and fish on private property.

Reid Nathan Franklin, 22, of Port Tobacco, received three criminal citations for littering in connection with the carcasses he left at the edge of a homeowner’s driveway.

Officers acting on a complaint to the Department of Natural Resources customer service portal thought the fish were similar in size to those seen in Franklin’s truck on Feb. 3 when he was charged with poaching. They questioned people in the neighborhood and other sources and came to the conclusion Franklin was responsible.

Natural Resource Police report that when questioned, Franklin acknowledged that the fish he dumped were caught on both Maryland tidal fish and Potomac River Fisheries Commission licenses.

The criminal citations mean Franklin must appear in Charles County District Court. If found guilty, he could be fined as much as $30,000 and/or five years in prison.

Reid Nathaniel Franklin, of Newburg, Md., was charged by citation on Aug. 2, 2012, with possession of undersized crabs by NRP Officer Simms of the Virginia Marine Police. In District Court of Charles County, Md., with a plea deal on Sept. 19, 2012, approved by Charles County States Attorney Anthony Covington, Franklin was let off with a fine of $100.00.

Eric Mathew Robertson, of 12424 Channelview Drive, Newburg, Md., was charged by NRP Officer Cary for failing to obtain a migratory bird stamp. His trial comes up on April 20, 2016.

Robertson must not have the juice with States Attorney Covington that Franklin does as his charges for exceeding the daily limit for geese won’t be cooked until April 20, 2016.

John Timothy Darbie Jr., who was also nabbed with Robertson and Franklin on Feb. 3, 2016, evidently may have attended the same fundraiser or golf tournament for the State’s Attorney’s election campaign. Readers can check the electronic campaign donations made to any elected States Attorney in Maryland to look for matchups of easy treatment of poachers and donations to politicians.

Darbie got the same sweet plea deal with States Attorney Covington as did Franklin. The Deal: A guilty plea with a fine of ZERO in a legendary day of Let’s Make a Deal in District Court in LaPlata on Feb. 23, 2016.

Illegal goose hunting and pothead duck hunters were among the cases handled recently by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

Three Charles County men were charged with multiple hunting violations after officers found them with 24 geese over the limit.

Reid Nathaniel Franklin and Eric Matthew Robertson, both 22, of Newburg, Md., were charged with exceeding the daily bag limit for geese and received written warnings or hunting without written permission. Franklin also was charged with hunting without a license. John Timothy Darbie, 18, of Port Tobacco, was charged with failing to have a migratory game stamp and received a written warning for hunting without written permission.

Acting on a phone tip, officers checked an area off Mount Victoria Road in Newburg and found the poachers, who admitted they shot too many birds.

The geese were seized and donated to charity.

The three men are due in Charles District Court on April 20. The maximum fine for exceeding the daily bag limit and hunting without a license is $1,500. Failing to obtain a migratory bird stamp carries a fine of $250.

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THREE BOZOS WERE IN THE BAG WITH REEFER

Three Wicomico County men were charged Saturday with hunting under the influence of marijuana.

Austin Wayne Hurley, 28, of Delmar, Dennis Alton Hughes, 36, of Hebron, and Reuben Daniel Calder, 33, of Mardela Springs, each received a citation, which mandates a court appearance. Hughes and Hurley also received civil citations for possession.

Officers checking waterfowl hunters saw activity on Barren Creek Pond off U.S. 50 and stopped to check the blind. As they approached, the officers smelled burning marijuana.

The three hunters acknowledged they had been smoking dope and officers found a black film canister containing 1.6 grams of marijuana on Hurley. Hughes said he had marijuana but threw it in the water before officers arrived.

The three men are scheduled to appear in Wicomico District Court on April 5. The maximum penalty for hunting while under the influence of marijuana is up to one year in prison and a $1,500 fine. The penalty for possession is a pre-payable fine of $50.

TELL THE PROSECUTORS WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT PIRATE POACHERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE

The following is contact information for email addresses for States Attorneys of the counties that surround the Chesapeake Bay and are often presented with citations and violations to prosecute for Maryland’s Outlaw watermen. They are all elected officials and have complete and total control as to whether or not to prosecute Pirate Poachers of the Chesapeake or to dump the charges.  Be sure to contact any of these officials with your views on the matter.

SCOTT D. SHELLENBERGER, Baltimore County State’s Attorney (Democrat)

Email: statesattorney@baltimorecountymd.gov

State’s Attorney, Baltimore County, since January 2, 2007.

Prosecutor, Office of State’s Attorney, Baltimore County, 1982-93 (former chief, child abuse/sexual assault division).

EDWARD DORSEY ELLIS ROLLINS III, Cecil State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: cflaugher@ccgov.org

State’s Attorney, Cecil County, since January 3, 2011.

MATTHEW A. MACIARELLO, Wicomico County State’s Attorney (Republican),
e-mail: mmaciarello@wicomicocounty.org

State’s Attorney, Wicomico County, since January 3, 2011. Deputy State’s Attorney, Wicomico County, November 8, 2010, to January 3, 2011.

Scott Patterson, Talbot County States Attorney (Democrat): State’s Attorney, Talbot County, 1983-86, and since 1989. Assistant State’s Attorney, Montgomery County, 1972-75. Special Assistant to Attorney General, 1975. Assistant State’s Attorney, Anne Arundel County.

LANCE G. RICHARDSON, Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: lrichardson@qac.org

State’s Attorney, Queen Anne’s County, since January 5, 2009. Assistant Public Defender, Queen Anne’s County, 1996-2003. Deputy State’s Attorney, Queen Anne’s County

HARRIS P. MURPHY, Kent County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: hmurphy@kentgov.org, State’s Attorney, Kent County, since January 5, 2015.

Daniel Powell, Somerset County States Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: dpowell@co.somerset.md.us

State’s Attorney, Somerset County, since January 3, 2011.  Former Assistant State’s Attorney, Baltimore County. Former Assistant State’s Attorney, Dorchester County. Former Assistant State’s Attorney, Somerset County. County Administrator, Somerset County, 2007-09.

JONATHAN G. NEWELL, Caroline County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: jnewell@carolinesao.org

State’s Attorney, Caroline County, since 2003.

Assistant Public Defender, Caroline County, 1999-2001. Deputy State’s Attorney, Kent County

BEAU H. OGLESBY, Worcester County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: boglesby@co.worcester.md.us

State’s Attorney, Worcester County, since January 3, 2011.

Assistant State’s Attorney, Wicomico County, 1997-2007. Deputy State’s Attorney, Caroline County, 2009-10.

WILLIAM H. JONES Dorchester County States Attorney, (Democrat)

e-mail: wjones@docogonet.com

State’s Attorney, Dorchester County, since June 19, 2009. Assistant State’s Attorney, 2002-04. Senior Assistant State’s Attorney, 2004-07. Interim State’s Attorney, April 11, 2007, to June 19, 2009.

WES ADAMS, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: aacsao@aacounty.org

State’s Attorney, Anne Arundel County, since January 5, 2015.  Assistant State’s Attorney, Prince George’s County, 1998-2000. Assistant State’s Attorney, Baltimore City, 2000-08. Chief, Homicide Division, State’s Attorney’s Office, Prince George’s County, 2008-15 (assistant chief, 2008). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, 2006-07.

ANTHONY B. (TONY) COVINGTON, State’s Attorney (Democrat)

e-mail: covingtt@charlescounty.org

State’s Attorney, Charles County, since January 3, 2011. Deputy State’s Attorney, Charles County, 2008-.  Assistant State’s Attorney, Prince George’s County, 1991-93. Assistant State’s Attorney, Charles County, 1993-97.

LAURA L. MARTIN, Calvert County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: martinll@co.cal.md.us

State’s Attorney, Calvert County, since January 2007.  Assistant State’s Attorney, Prince George’s County, 1989-98 (assistant chief, homicide division, 1994-98). Deputy State’s Attorney, Calvert County, September 1998 to December 2005.

RICHARD D. FRITZ, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: richard.fritz@co.saint-marys.md.us

State’s Attorney, St. Mary’s County, since December 1998. Former Assistant State’s Attorney and Deputy State’s Attorney, St. Mary’s County.

JOSEPH I. CASSILLY, Harford County State’s Attorney (Republican)

e-mail: statty@harfordcountymd.gov

State’s Attorney, Harford County, since January 1983. Assistant State’s Attorney, Harford County, 1977-82