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MARCH 2004 NEWS
TWO MEN CITED FOR TAKING GEESE WITH RIFLES COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN CITED FOR POSSESSION OF GAME FISH MAN CITED FOR TAKING SHAD WITHOUT LICENSES CHAUVIN MEN CITED FOR FISH VIOLATIONS
OYSTER VIOLATORS CITED ON POINTE AUX CHENES WMA
WILDLIFE AGENTS ASSIST FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH BURNING CAMP
RABBIT HUNTERS CITED IN ORLEANS PARISH
BOATER APPREHENDED ON JEFFERSON PARISH WATERWAY
MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO NIGHT HUNTING IN ALLEN PARISH
RICHLAND PARISH MAN ARRESTED FOR GAME FISH, DRUG AND LITTER VIOLATIONS
GAME FISH, BOAT AND HOOPNETS SEIZED IN CONCORDIA PARISH
TWO MEN CITED FOR TAKING GEESE WITH RIFLES Two Allen Parish men were cited by a Louisiana Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries enforcement agent for allegedly taking migratory game birds
with illegal firearms on February 29.
Kyle D. Carrier, 18, and Jeremy R. Rider, 19, both of Oberlin, were
apprehended as they left an agricultural field in Allen Parish with two
geese. Senior Wildlife Enforcement Agent Steven Vidrine observed
Carrier and Rider shoot the geese with rifles. The rifles were a .270-caliber
scoped rifle and a .22-caliber rifle.
Violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are violations of federal
law. The penalty for hunting migratory game birds with illegal firearms is a
fine of up to $15,000 or jail for not more than six months, community
service and probation for up to five years, including loss of hunting rights
worldwide. The two geese were seized.
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN CITED FOR POSSESSION OF GAME FISH
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents
cited Ray M. Grimmer, 59 of Lottie, on March 5 for alleged game fish violations.
Agents performing a boating safety and commercial license check found
Grimmer in possession of seven white bass while dipping shad commercially in
the Grosse Tete Bayou near Livonia. It is illegal to take game fish with a
dip net or to possess such fish while in the process of commercial fishing.
The fish were seized and donated.
Taking or possessing game fish illegally carries a fine of up to $750, jail
for not more than 120 days, or both, plus court costs.
Agents participating in the case were Sgt. Donald Vallet and Senior
Agent Cliff Ortis.
MAN CITED FOR TAKING SHAD WITHOUT LICENSES
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents
cited a man for allegedly taking shad without the proper licenses in St.
Mary Parish on March 1.
Michael D. Kitchen, 54, of Morgan City, was cited for taking commercial bait
species without a commercial fisherman's license and taking commercial bait
species without a commercial gear license.
Agents received several complaints of illegal shad netting near the Bayou
Teche floodgates and set up surveillance on the area. The agents allegedly
observed Kitchen fishing a hoop net that had been modified to be used as a
drop net. He did not have the required licenses to take commercial fish.
Agents seized four nets and 1,263 pounds of shad in connection with these
violations.
Commercial license violations and each offense is punishable by a fine of up
to $500 and/or jail time of up to 90 days for each offense, plus court costs
and forfeiture of any illegally taken fish.
Agents participating in this case were Sgt. Davis Madere and Cadet Jason
Romero.
CHAUVIN MEN CITED FOR FISH VIOLATIONS Two Chauvin men were cited by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Enforcement Division agents for allegedly taking over the limit and
undersize red and black drum on February 7 in Terrebonne Parish.
Ernest Boudreaux Jr., 55, and David Sloan JR, 33, were fishing in a
pipeline canal near Bayou Neuf in lower Terrebonne Parish. When checked by
the agents, Boudreaux and Sloan were fishing with rods and reel from the
bank. Boudreaux was found in possession of 71 black drum and 15 red drum
which greatly exceeds the five fish limit for both species and all but one
of the fish were under the legal 16 inch size limit.
Sloan was allegedly in possession of 12 black drum and one red drum, all
under the legal size limit.
Both men were cited for possessing undersize and over the legal limit of
black drum, and possessing undersize red drum. Boudreaux was additionally
cited for possessing over the legal limit of red drum. The fish were seized
and donated to charity.
Possessing undersize black drum, possessing over the limit of black drum and
possessing undersize red drum are all punishable by a fine of $100-$350, or
jail for not more than 60 days, or both, plus court costs. Possession of
over the legal limit of red drum carries a penalty of $400 $750, and jail
for not more than 120 days, or both, plus a $25 per fish fine payable to the
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for every red drum over the legal
limit.
Agents involved in this case were Lt. Sammy Martin and Sr. Agent Max Dupre.
OYSTER VIOLATORS CITED ON POINTE AUX CHENES WMA
Two Lafourche Parish men were cited for allegedly taking oysters from a
polluted area in Lafource Parish by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries Enforcement Division agents on February 10.
Patrick Terrebonne, 37, of Cutoff and David Griffin, 52, of Galliano were
cited at the Pointe Aux Chenes Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Terrebonne
and Griffin had gathered six champagne baskets and five 100-pound crab boxes
of oysters. The Pointe Aux Chenes WMA lies within the Department of Health
and Hospitals polluted oyster closure area and commercial activities are
prohibited on all WMA's. Neither man had an oyster harvester license, a
commercial gear license or a commercial vessel license. All are needed for
the lawful harvest of oysters.
The oysters were seized and returned to the water. The boat and engine were
placed under administrative seizure and may be forfeited by the court upon
conviction.
Taking oysters from a polluted area and harvesting oysters without a
harvester's license both carry penalties of up to $750, jail for not more
than 120 days, or both, plus court costs. Taking oysters without a
commercial gear or commercial vessel licenses are punishable by fines of up
to $500, jail for not more than 90 days, or both, plus court costs. Not
abiding by WMA rules and regulations has a fine of u to $350, jail for not
more than 60 days, or both, plus court costs.
Agents participating in this case were Senior Agents Thomas Dewitt and
Jamie Folse.
WILDLIFE AGENTS ASSIST FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH BURNING CAMP
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents
assisted the Westwego and Nine Mile Point fire departments in containing a
fire at a camp near the Westwego Canal in Jefferson Parish on February 16.
Early that night, the Westwego Fire Department received an emergency call
that a camp was on fire near the canal. Numerous camps are located along
this canal, and fire officials were concerned that the fire might spread to
other camps and permanent homes. Because these camps may only be
reached by boat, the fire department contacted wildlife agents who were on boat
patrol in the area. Agents quickly responded to the Bayou Segnette State Park
boat launch, placing several firemen and their equipment on board and
transporting them to the location of the fire.
The fire was extinguished within a few hours. The cause of the fire is
still unknown and under investigation.
Agents assisting in this incident were Senior Agents Rachel Zechenelly
and Jason Russo.
RABBIT HUNTERS CITED IN ORLEANS PARISH
Four New Orleans men were cited for allegedly hunting rabbits in a closed
area of Orleans Parish by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Enforcement Division agents on February 24.
James White, 28, Edwin Bocage, 49, Milton Taylor, 51, and Charles Windam,
66, of New Orleans, were allegedly hunting rabbits with dogs near Industrial
Parkway. This area of Orleans Parish is closed to all hunting due to its
proximity to developed areas and Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife
Refuge.
The men were apprehended as they were leaving the woods with shotguns,
rabbit dogs and two rabbits. Four shotguns and the rabbits were seized. The
rabbits were donated to a charity.
The penalty for violating commission rules and regulations is a fine of up
to $350, jail for not more than 60 days, or both, plus court costs.
Agents participating in the case were Senior Agents Kris Bourgeois, Jason
Gernados, and Adam Young.
BOATER APPREHENDED ON JEFFERSON PARISH WATERWAY
A criminal summons was issued to Lloyd Christen III, 28, of Barataria, for
allegedly possessing marijuana by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries Enforcement Division agents on February 18.
Agents on patrol in the Intracoastal Waterway in Jefferson Parish approached
Christen's vessel for a boating safety inspection when Christen allegedly
tossed a small pill bottle overboard. The bottle was recovered and contained
a small quantity of suspected marijuana.
Christen was also cited for boat registration, running lights and life vests
violations. The suspected marijuana was delivered to the Louisiana State
Police Crime Lab for testing.
The criminal penalty for possession of marijuana, which is classified as a
Schedule 1 drug, is a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment in the parish
jail for not more than six months, or both. The civil penalties for no boat
registration, no running lights, and no life jackets are civil fines of $50
each for a first offense, $100 for a second offense, and $150 for a third
offense.
Agents participating in the case were Lt. Allen Adam and Sr. Agt K. Bourgeois.
MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO NIGHT HUNTING IN ALLEN PARISH
On December 4, 2003 at 10:00 P.M., Nolen was stopped by LDWF Enforcement
Senior Agent Joey James for spotlighting from a public road in the vicinity
of Elizabeth. Further investigation revealed that Nolen was hunting deer
during illegal hours with an artificial light, hunting from a moving
vehicle, hunting deer with illegal weapon and hunting from a public
road.
On February 3, Travis Wade Nolen, 22, of Pitkin, appeared before 33rd
Judicial District Court Judge Joel Davis in Allen Parish and pled guilty to
hunting with an illegal weapon and hunting from a public road.
The case was prosecuted for District Attorney Doug Hebert and by Assistant
District Attorney Joe Green.
Judge Davis sentenced Nolen to pay a fine of $524 and serve 30 days in jail.
The jail sentence was suspended and Nolen was placed on six months
supervised probation. The judge also ordered forfeiture of Nolen's
.22-magnum rifle with scope and a spotlight to the Louisiana Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries.
RICHLAND PARISH MAN ARRESTED FOR GAME FISH, DRUG AND LITTER VIOLATIONS
A Richland Parish man was arrested for allegedly taking game fish and using
a lead net illegally, possession of marijuana, illegal possession of drug
paraphernalia and littering in Boeuf River in Richland Parish on February 22
by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division
agents.
Marcus R. Tryon, 36, of Alto, was arrested and booked into the Richland
Parish Detention Center.
Agents observed Tryon raise and empty an illegally set hoop net containing
game fish and place the fish in his boat. Louisiana law requires game fish
taken in nets be immediately released.
Upon stopping Tryon, the agents found him in possession of 25 crappie, one
bass and one bream. Agents also found a bag of suspected marijuana and two
suspected marijuana cigarettes in his possession, as well as drug
paraphernalia. Tryon had also been observed throwing litter in the river
during the surveillance. The fish, boat, hoopnet with lead and suspected
marijuana were seized as evidence. The fish were donated to charity.
Taking game fish illegally and using a lead net in other than an overflow
region are both punishable by a fine of up to $750, imprisonment for not
more than 120 days, or both, plus court costs. Possession of marijuana,
possession of drug paraphernalia, and littering, all are punishable by a
maximum fine of $500, imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. A
civil restitution citation was issued for the value of the fish and civil
citations were issued for failing to comply with PFD regulations and failing
to possess a recreational hoop net gear license. The restitution penalty for
the fish is approximately $127.
Agents participating in the investigation were Lt. Rick Owens, Sgt. Scott
Mathews, and Senior Agents Brian Rawls, Billy Richardson, James Hagan,
and Darren Bruce.
GAME FISH, BOAT AND HOOPNETS SEIZED IN CONCORDIA PARISH
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents
arrested two Concordia Parish men on January 29 for alleged commercial, and
game fish violations in the Black River Lake complex. Robert Shane
LaPrairie, 27, and James Howard Poole, 44, both of Monterey, were arrested
and booked into the Concordia Parish Prison.
Agents observed the two men raising and emptying their hoop nets into the
boat. The catch included game fish, which by law must be immediately
released. No fish were returned to the water. Upon stopping LaPrairie and
Poole, the agents found them in possession of 45 crappie, 21 yellow bass, 5
bream, 4 buffalo, 40 catfish and 1 drum. The fish, boat and motor and 24
hoop nets were seized as evidence. The fish were later donated to charity.
Each subject was cited for failure to have a commercial license, taking of
commercial fish without a commercial gear license and illegal take or
possession of game fish. The men were also issued a civil citation for the
restitution value of the fish.
Failure to have a commercial license and taking commercial fish without a
commercial gear license both carry fines of up to $500, imprisonment for not
more than 90 days, or both, plus court costs. Taking or possessing game
fish illegally is punishable by a fine of up to $750, imprisonment for not
more than 120 days, or both, plus court costs. The restitution penalty for
the fish is approximately $290.
Agents participating in the investigation were Lt. Kenneth Hedricks, Sgt.
Russ Kiser, Senior Agents Charles Ward and Jim Matkin, and Agent Ronnie
Robbins.
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