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Maine Game Wardens acting upon a tip from border
patrol agents arrested two men on November 8th in conjunction with the illegal killing of three moose in Northern Somerset County.
Wardens arrested Ross P. Carroll, age 19, and Howard Button, 22, who are
currently stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The two are
believed to be on unauthorized leave from the Marine Corps. Carroll is
originally from Searsport, ME, and Button from Quinlan Texas.
The pair were arraigned November 9th at Somerset County District Court
in Skowhegan at 1:00 p.m. and each one was charged with 2 counts of
night hunting and 3 counts of illegal possession of moose.
"This is an excellent example of agencies working together to protect
Maine's natural resources," said Major Gregg Sanborn of the Maine Warden
Service. "Border Patrol, State Police, Somerset District Attorney's
Office and the Maine Warden Service combined to process a confusing
crime scene that covered several miles and reached across the state."
Game Warden Ralph Hosford was the first to respond at 4:15 a.m. on
November 8 to a complaint received from Border Patrol Agents that they
had found a truck broken down on Route 15 in Jackman which had a dead
moose in the bed.
Game Warden James Babiarz was dispatched and met with Border Patrol,
then proceeded to the vehicle. In the bed of the North Carolina
registered Ford pickup truck were the parts of two butchered moose; four
front quarters and four back quarters. The truck was registered to
Carroll.
As daylight broke on the scene, Game Warden Babiarz noticed another dead
moose, this one within site of Route 15. Babiarz secured the scene and
called for assistance.
A team of wardens were dispatched to the area, and for the next 24
hours, spent time collecting evidence and investigating leads. After
interviewing Carroll's family members in Searsport, the search broadened
for another man who was believed to be with Carroll.
At approximately 2:30 November 8th, Game Warden Rick Clowry
identified two male subjects who matched the suspects' description
walking along Route 201 south of Jackman. The pair were taken to
Greenville for questioning.
After working with Jim Mitchell of the Somerset District Attorney's
office, the two men were arrested the afternoon of November 8, and
charged with 2 counts of night hunting and 3 counts of illegal
possession of moose.
The two spent the evening at the Somerset County jail and were arraigned
November 9th.
The pair face a mandatory minimum of six days in jail and several
thousand dollars in fines for the charges against them. Carroll was a
defendant in a similar case in 2005 when he was charged and convicted
with illegally killing two moose in the Jackman area.
For more info visit: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/
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