Game Commission: 5 Juveniles Facing Charges For Deer-Killing 'Crime Spree' Across Northwestern Pennsylvania
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Five juveniles are facing charges in a deer-killing "crime spree" across northwestern Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission says the juveniles killed or attempted to kill 14 deer over the course of several months in Erie and Crawford counties.
Officials say 11 full or partial deer carcasses have been found in connection with the illegal killings.
The Erie County Warden Michael Stutts was assisted by the Overt Special Investigations unit made up of OSI Lawrence Hergenroeder and K-9 Officer Storm. The pair helped recover evidence in the field and conduct interviews of the suspects.
The juveniles' charges include 143 citations with fines in the case that could reach a minimum of $48,800 to a maximum of $82,000. Replacement costs, which the commission says is often associated with wildlife crimes, to reimburse the state's hunters could reach over $11,000.
