Area Men Accused Of Deer Poaching

from the NYSDEC
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) police officers recently concluded a blanket deer taking enforcement detail in the Capital Region and surrounding areas in conjunction with the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. A number of area men were cited by DEC officers during this enforcement detail.
On October 25, Jamie Sears, 40, of Pittsfield, MA, was charged with shooting at game after hours and hunting without a back tag (both violations) and making a false statement while applying for a license, a misdemeanor. He was issued summonses to appear in the Town of Petersburgh Justice Court. He faces a maximum of $700 in fines and up to three months in jail.
On October 25, Nicholas Lentine, 30, of Pownal, VT, was charged with failure to carry a big game license while hunting, a violation. Lentine was issued an appearance ticket returnable in Petersburgh Justice Court and faces up to $250 in fines and/or 15 days in jail.
On October 26, Matthew Sadlowski, 21, of Johnsonville was charged with spotlighting with an unsecure bow in a motor vehicle, a violation. Sadlowski was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Pittstown Justice Court and faces up to $250 in fines and up to 125 days in jail.
On November 1, Kenneth Luskin, 43, of Pittstown was charged with failure to tag a deer, a violation. Luskin was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Pittstown Justice Court and faces up to $250 in fines and up to 15 days in jail.
On November 13, James W. Roberts, 44, of Mechanicville was charged with shooting over bait, a violation. Roberts was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Pittstown Justice Court and faces up to $250 in fines and up to 15 days in jail.
On November 27, Brian Jones of Berlin, 22, and John MacMillen, 22, of Poestenkill were each charged with taking deer with the aid of an artificial light, possessing a loaded gun in a motor vehicle and taking wildlife from a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors. Additionally, Jones was charged with the misdemeanor of shooting two deer over bait and the violation of hunting without a big game license during the archery only season. Resolution of the charges are pending in Berlin Town Court where MacMillen faces a fine of up to $5,000 and up to 270 days in jail and Jones faces a fine of up to $9,000 and up to a year in jail. (Editor’s Note: Mr. Jones maintains that the charges against him are false.)
On November 13, Tom Gill, 22, of Nassau was charged with shooting deer with a gun during archery season and with hunting without a license, both violations. Gill was issued appearance tickets returnable to the Nassau Justice Court and faces a fine of up to $500 and up to 15 days in jail.
On November 11, Fred Beagle, 34, of Cambridge was charged with possessing a loaded gun in a motor vehicle (a misdemeanor) and a traffic infraction of an unregistered vehicle. Beagle was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Pittstown Justice Court and faces up to $1,000 in fines and up to 90 days in jail.
On November 10, Todd Hall, 44, of Austerlitz and David Hall, 43, of Chatham were charged with possession of an unsecured firearm in a motor vehicle while spotlighting, a misdemeanor. Both were issued an appearance tickets returnable to the Austerlitz Justice Court and face up to $1,000 in fines and up to 90 days in jail.
Environmental Conservation Officers (ECO) worked in conjunction with their counterparts in neighboring states to set up saturation patrols to target illegal deer shooting with the use of an artificial light, a practice commonly known as deer jacking. Typically, deer jacking occurs in remote rural areas, throughout the night. During this operation, which took place in late October and the first three weeks of November, ECOs worked long hours and often confronted armed individuals.
“The vast majority of hunters pursue and take game legally,” said DEC Law Enforcement Major Tim Duffy. “We work closely with the sporting community to stop individuals from illegally taking game to the detriment of wildlife populations and the legal efforts of honest hunters.”
ECOs are out in full force this time of year patrolling, staking out and observing the lands on which people take deer. They are in uniform and undercover; they are in vehicles and on foot; they are checking licenses and watching over deer decoys.
If you have information regarding illegal hunting activities, please contact the DEC Turn in Poachers & Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-847-TIPP (7332).