Six suspects have been charged in regard to criminal actions that are alleged to have taken place, between May 3 and Dec. 12, 2011. In March, investigators said they had been tracking a group that may have killed up to 50 deer illegally in the last three years.
According to Maine Warden Service spokesman Cpl. John MacDonald, an undercover warden saw the suspects shoot deer at night from the windows of a vehicle. “Their typical activity was to shoot deer on lawns, in front of people’s homes, under apple trees and around shrubs,” MacDonald said. The lawns in question did not belong to the suspects, he said.
Richard L. Potter, 29, of Jefferson, is accused of 49 criminal counts for actions that are alleged to have taken place in Somerville, Jefferson, Nobleboro, Damariscotta and China, including guiding without a license, hunting or possessing a deer in closed season, driving moose, night hunting and carrying a loaded firearm or crossbow in a motor vehicle.
The arrests came after Potter met with an undercover investigator and invited him to go hunting.
“Potter told (the investigator) that he had to be careful for a year because his hunting and guide licenses were currently revoked,” a report in Potter’s court file states. “Potter made derogatory comments about Game Wardens and told (the investigator) he was revoked because of being told on. Potter told (the investigator) that the next time he would not be as stupid and not get caught.”
Monique Moore, 21, of Jefferson faces 11 criminal counts, including 11 for night hunting as well as charges that she fraudulently obtained a hunting license, used artificial light, possessed or hunted deer in closed season and carried a loaded firearm or crossbow in a vehicle.
Joshua L. Shanholzer, 29, of Jefferson, is accused of seven counts, including hunting or possessing a deer in closed season and possessing an anterless deer.
Nathan T. Lee, 35, of Whitefield is charged with two counts of driving deer.
Brian Cleveland Curtis, 39, of Palermo faces criminal charges of assisting a client in a criminal violation and civil charges of violating his license as a Maine Guide, for failure to report the violation.
A trial date of Fri., Aug. 3 at 10:30 a.m. has been set for Jonathan W. Vorhis, 31, of Cushing, charged with the Class crime of unsworn falsification and Class E crimes of possessing an unregistered deer, driving deer and hunting deer after having killed one. Court documents say he attempted to conceal his identity during his arrest.
A hearing is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. on Mon., Oct. 1 in regard to a motion on behalf of Lee and Curtis, to suppress and a motion for discovery, filed by their attorney, Walter McKee, of Augusta. According to the motion to suppress, Lee and Curtis were not given a Miranda warning and their statements to authorities were involuntary.
The court is also to considering requests for a jury trial from Potter and Shanholzer.