THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 24, 1995 TAG: 9508240551
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
An undercover investigation by state and federal officials ended in charges against 11 men for poaching in and around Shenandoah National Park.
The men, from Greene, Page and Rockingham counties, were arrested early Monday on charges ranging from illegally selling deer antlers to poaching in the park.
``We believe the information we obtained from the people arrested today will lead us to more arrests,'' park spokesman Doug Raeburn said Monday.
Raeburn said state and federal officials had been on the trail of the men for 10 months.
Raeburn said an undercover agent was able to work his way into the group and accompanied some of the men on hunting forays into the park, where hunting is banned. The agent also bought animal parts from the group, including 291 sets of dear antlers, two bear hides and a snakeskin gun sling. The agent paid the men $3,078 for the items.
Over 130 state and federal charges were filed against the men.
State Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' agents also seized about $1,000 in marijuana plants and drug-related materials during the arrests. The U.S. Marshals office, the National Park Service and the sheriffs departments in Rockingham and Greene counties also took part in the raids. by CNB