On February 15, after a weeks-long investigation, New York State Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) charged two men in Onondaga County with more than a dozen violations related to a hunting incident and drunk driving arrest in January.
On January 25, the Onondaga County Sherriff’s Office notified Lieutenant Colesante about a complaint of someone jacking deer (hunting from the roadside with a spotlight) that ended with a driver arrested for driving while intoxicated on Route 20 in the town of Lafayette. Sheriffs’ said the allegedly intoxicated subject had a dead deer and loaded firearms in his vehicle at the time of the stop.
ECO Thomas, assigned to investigate the matter, reviewed the Onondaga County Sherriff’s reports, interviewed witnesses, and gathered evidence from the location to confirm the deer was taken at night from the vehicle with a spotlight.
After weeks of attempting to locate the subject and their companion, ECOs charged two individuals with a total of 16 violations including hunting while intoxicated, possessing loaded firearms in a motor vehicle, taking deer with the aid of an artificial light, and taking deer within 500 feet of a residence (all misdemeanors), along with other violations.
Both men received appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Lafayette Court.
Photo: A dead deer stashed in trunk after a late night poaching incident in town of Lafayette (provided by DEC).
Thank you for the solid investigation.
Now what is necessary is to throw the book at these creeps and TAKE THEIR HUNTING AND FIREARM LICENSES AWAY FROM THEM.
No stupid little slap on the wrist.
Good job by the DEC ECO’s.