GUILTY PLEA FOR MULTIPLE GAME LAW VIOLATIONS IN MONROE COUNTY
Kenneth N. Borger, 29, of Long Pond, Monroe County, pled guilty, on Feb. 14, to six counts of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife (all white-tailed deer); three counts of unlawful devices and methods (baiting); one count of failure to tag and report big game kills; one count of unlawful acts concerning licenses (receiving a license or tags from another); and five counts of additional penalties for various poaching offenses.
According to Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Mark Rutkowski, Borger was assessed fines and penalties of $5,200 by District Judge Richard Claypool, of Pocono Pines, Monroe County
MERCER COUNTY DEER PROCESSOR FACES NUMEROUS CHARGES
After a lengthy investigation, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials, on Feb. 7, filed numerous charges against Randy Eugene Taranto, 45, of Delaware Township, Mercer County, for the unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife and illegally buying and selling game. Charges were filed before District Judge Lorinda Hinch, of Mercer.
In total, Taranto is charged with four counts of unlawfully taking or possession of game or wildlife and 12 counts of illegally buying and selling game. Each violation is a second-degree summary that carries a fine of $300 to $800. If convicted of all 16 counts, the fines could range from $4,800 to $12,800, plus court costs and restitution, which could push the fines to more than $14,000.
Facts from the Pennsylvania Game Commission: House Bill 2205, sponsored by House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward Staback, proposes to increase fines and penalties for a variety of wildlife violations.
For more information on these cases, please visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency website:
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=11&Q=173561