DEC Conservation Police Officer Highlights for Late April in Essex County

On the evening of April 25, DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officer Maxwell Nicols received a tip about a Facebook post showing multiple turkeys killed prior to the season opener with a subject claiming to have harvested the birds during the youth weekend. ECO Nicols located the photographer at his home, and after a conversation, the man admitted to harvesting three of the birds. When asked where the meat from the birds was, the man hung his head and looked into his kitchen, where a family member was cooking dinner. Upon further investigation, the officer determined that the subject had prior convictions barring him from possessing any firearms. The defendant was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, taking turkeys during the closed season, and hunting turkey without turkey hunting privileges. All charges are returnable to Essex Town Court. The shotgun and remaining turkey meat were seized as evidence, and dinner was allowed to proceed as planned. The investigation continues into who took the fourth turkey.