NRP Charge Two Greensboro Men

Greensboro, Md. (March 26, 2010) –The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged Matthew Blaine Rostien, 26 from Greensboro with one count of felony theft, one count of possession of an item where manufactures’ serial number has been removed, three counts of criminal trespassing, three counts of hunting without written permission, three counts of failing to obtain a hunting license, two counts of violating the harvest check-in regulations, one count of harvesting more than his limit of antlered whitetail deer, and one count of failing to take two antlerless deer before harvesting his second antlered deer. NRP charged Larry Wayne Osman, 27 of Greensboro, with criminal trespassing and hunting without written permission.

The charges are the result of a three month investigation into illegal hunting in Caroline County, which started as a trespassing complaint. The complaint occurred on December 3, 2009 on Old Mill lane, Greensboro, Caroline County. NRP Officers were called to the location to investigate possible poaching activities. The investigation that followed involved NRP seizing firearms, deer parts, an off road ATV John Deere Gator and the serving of a search warrant at the residence Matthew Rostien. The John Deere Gator was stolen from Dorchester County in October 2009 and valued at $11,000.

The charges against Mathew Rostien carry a total maximum penalty of 17 years, 2 months in jail and $35,000 fines. The charges against Larry Osman carry a maximum 90 days in jail and $2,000 in fines. Rostien and Osman are scheduled to appear in District Court of Maryland in Caroline County on April 4, 2010 at 8:30.

Please call 800-628-9944 to report natural resources violation, maritime incidents such as boating accidents or other maritime emergencies or public safety issues on Maryland’s state parks, forest or management areas.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 247 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), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 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 12 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