October 14, 2011
By Hillary Federico, The Hartford Courant
date
SHARON — Environmental conservation police from the Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection arrested four Massachusetts men on
charges they violated state hunting laws and were involved in deer
poaching in the Sharon Mountain area, state officials said Friday.
James L. Salzarulo, 41, Leon W. McClusky, 35, Vincent L. Hottel II,
29, all of Pittsfield, Mass. and Jason Barnaby, 36, of Peru, Mass. were
charged with one count of bow hunting without dated written consent
since they did not have written permission to hunt on private land,
according to Dwayne Gardner, DEEP spokesman.
Barnaby was also charged with illegal deer hunting and Hottel was
also charged with third-degree conspiracy to commit criminal trespass.
Over the past several years, DEEP EnCon police have received
complaints from residents living in the Sharon Mountain area reporting
that vehicles with Massachusetts license plates would drop off and pick
up people in camouflage along the road adjacent to various private
estates and wooded areas, Gardner said.
EnCon police monitored the area just before dawn on Oct. 8 and saw a
van with Massachusetts plates. After sunrise, Gardner said the van,
which was driven by Hottel, started picking up the other men. They were
dressed from head to toe in camouflage and had archery hunting equipment
with them, Gardner said.
The four men were released after posting bail and are scheduled to
appear in Bantam Superior Court on Oct. 24.
