MASTER TURKEY BAITERS NABBED: Turkeys are cheap at Food Lion but these turkeys face a high price to pay for being charged with baiting wild turkeys

MASTER TURKEY BAITERS NABBED: Turkeys are cheap at Food Lion but these turkeys face a high price to pay for being charged with baiting wild turkeys

MASTER TURKEY BAITERS NABBED

EMMITSBURG, MD. — Natural Resources police reports that a Pennsylvania man was charged Saturday with hunting over bait after officers on surveillance in Emmitsburg caught him guiding a juvenile who violated several regulations.

During their investigation, the two officers discovered that the youth hunter baited turkeys, had a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells, was using improper shot size, did not report his kill and did not record the turkey—a juvenile male, or jake—on his big game hunting record.

Benjamin Francis Miller Sr., 40, of Fairfield, admitted that he and the juvenile had placed bait in the area before the youth hunt day. Officers reminded Miller of his responsibilities as a mentor and issued warnings to the juvenile.

Miller is scheduled to appear in Frederick County District Court on June 2. If found guilty of the baiting charge, he could be fined as much as $1,500.

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In Garrett County, Paul William Riley, 46, of Oakland, was charged Sunday with hunting turkey over bait.

Officers on patrol noticed shelled corn on the ground and in a feeder within 30 feet of a hunting cabin on Audley Riley Road near Potomac-Garrett State Forest.

When they met with Riley and checked the cabin, they found a loaded shotgun and turkey calls near an open window facing the baited area.

Riley is scheduled to appear in Garrett County District Court on June 2. If found guilty, he could be fined as much as $1,500.

Franklin fined $1,000 for dumping poached geese and fish

LA PLATA, MD. — Natural Resources Police report that two men were charged with baiting turkey and a man was charged with illegally dumping fish and geese last week in separate cases brought by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

A Charles County man was fined $1,000 and sentenced to two years’ probation Wednesday after he was found guilty of illegal dumping.

Reid Nathaniel Franklin, 22, of Benedict, was charged in February after officers were called to private property where a pile of dead geese and fish were dumped.

Officers thought the fish looked similar to those seen in Franklin’s truck on Feb. 3, 2016, when he was charged with poaching. They questioned people in the neighborhood and other sources and came to the conclusion he was responsible. When questioned, Franklin acknowledged that he dumped the fish.

Franklin was also found guilty in March in Charles County District Court for failing to have a tidal fish license in relation to the dumping incident.

In a separate incident, Franklin was found guilty in the same court of exceeding the daily bag limit for geese, and hunting without a license and migratory bird stamp, after officers found him and two other hunters with 24 birds. The geese were donated to charity.

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!

(February 2016) – 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 early last week.

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.