| Press Releases | Search DNR | DNR Home |
Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Anne Arundel County - On Thursday, April 5, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) served a criminal summons to Harvey B. Burroughs, Jr. of Pasadena for operating a tree expert business without a license; acting as a tree expert with a suspended license; and two counts of felony theft. Burroughs is the owner of All American Tree and Landscaping Service located in Pasadena.
The charges were filed related to numerous complaints received by the Maryland Forest Service regarding Burroughs contracting for services and accepting payment or deposits for services, but subsequently not performing the work or refunding the money.
During the joint investigation, authorities uncovered evidence that Burroughs had performed work while his license was under suspension. On June 28, 2006, an administrative law judge ordered Burroughs' tree expert license to practice suspended for 45 days for negligence or wrongful conduct in the practice of tree care and violation of the tree expert rules of ethics. The suspension was in effect from July 29, 2006 through September 12, 2006.
The trial date for the charges is pending.
Kent County – On Monday, April 9, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged James Daniel Elburn, 48, of Rock Hall with 15 counts of possession of undersized oysters and one count of failing to display an identification number on a vehicle used to transport seafood.
The charges are the results of a routine inspection of J & J Seafood/J & J Wholesale located in Rock Hall on March 22, by NRP. Officers checked 15 bushels of oysters that allegedly contained over 5 percent of oysters fewer than 3 inches as allowed by law. Percentages found by officers ranged from 8 to 19 percent of undersized oysters.
A person's possession of oysters may not include a combined total of more than 5 percent of oysters which measure less than 3 inches from hinge to bill, and cultch consisting of shells, stones, gravel and slag.
All licensees shall display the identification number provided by the Department on every vessel, vehicle, gear or place of business used to catch, hold, transport, process, sell, buy or otherwise deal in seafood.
A court date of June 5 has been scheduled for Elburn in Kent County District Court.
Montgomery County – On Tuesday, April 10, Willie Leonard Lowe, Jr., 49, of Mt. Airy was found guilty in Montgomery County District Court of using a rifle to hunt deer in a county restricted to shotgun only and hunting without written permission.
Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Lowe on November 3, 2006 after receiving anonymous complaints of illegal hunting activity in the area of Long Corner Road. NRP charged Lowe after catching him retrieving an 8-point buck from a field after dark that was shot earlier in the day. He received a $50 fine plus $22.50 court costs, 12 months probation and is required to pay restitution to the State in the sum of $300.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police urge anyone that has information of a poaching violator or any natural resource violation to call the CATCH-A-POACHER 24-HOUR HOTLINE at 1-800-635-6124.
Worcester County - On Wednesday, April 4, at 9:10 p.m., Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Lawrence Edward Dring Jr., 37, of Pasadena with driving under the influence of alcohol in the Shad Landing area of Pocomoke River State Park.
Dring was stopped for allegedly driving the wrong way in the Deer Run camp loop of the park. He was arrested and transported to the Ocean City Police Department for processing. NRP issued Dring citations for driving under the influence of alcohol; driving under the influence of alcohol per se; driving while impaired by alcohol; driving the wrong direction on a one-way road; and operator not restrained by seatbelt. Dring was released on his signature.
Worcester County – On Monday, April 9, at 4 p.m., Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Theron Scott Carmean, 44, of Ocean City with fishing for, catching and possessing finfish in the waters of the State of Maryland without a valid license; and catching and possessing for sale striped bass in the waters of the State of Maryland without a valid license.
NRP charged Carmean after checking his commercial fishing vessel, Belinda Ann, while it landed its catch at a commercial seafood market in West Ocean City. During the inspection, NRP uncovered that the person to whom the Tidal Fishing License had been transferred had not been on-board the vessel while it was engaged in fishing activity. Therefore, the owner/ captain of the vessel was fishing without a commercial Tidal Fishing License.
NRP seized as evidence Carmean’s catch of a little more than 1,500 pounds of several different species of fish. A court date of June 22 has been scheduled for Carmean in Worcester County District Court.
April 12, 2007The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 280 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov