Richmond County hunting club members facing more than 300 total charges

HOFFMAN — More than 25 Richmond County hunters are facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly illegally killing deer during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

The Enforcement Division of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission launched an investigation spanning both seasons to investigate reports of whitetail deer being killed illegally on the Sandhills Game Lands and surrounding private properties, according to a spokesman.  

Court documents show at least one of those surrounding properties is owned by Queensdale, LLC.

The investigation found that 44 deer were illegally taken by members of the Sandy Ridge Hunting Club during the operation, which led to 308 alleged hunting-related crimes being “detected and documented,” according to Wildlife officials.

In addition to allegations of trespassing and illegal killing, some of the hunters are accused of failing to register their kills and falsifying information. Five are even charged with littering.

While some have only one pending charge, others are facing multiple charges, including a member who was charged with more than 40 counts.

The following hunters, who were served with criminal summonses last week, are facing the listed charges:

Mark Allen, 25:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.

Manley Brigman III, 64:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 3 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of taking deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 2 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

Manley Scott Brigman, 45:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 3 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 3 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.
• Loaning of license/big game kill card.
• Falsify information with regards to registering a deer with the NCWRC. 

Robert Keith Brigman, 38:

• 3 counts of trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 3 counts of taking deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 4 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 5 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 4 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 3 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of exceeding the season’s deer limit.
• Driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.
• Borrowing of license/big game kill card.

Michael Brandon English, 37:

• Fail to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

Timothy Lee Greene Jr., 33:

• Driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road. 

Casey Douglas Helms, 28:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting. 

William Don Kirk Jr., 53:

• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 2 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

Robert Laton Jr., 68:

• 2 counts of trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• Possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• Littering not greater than 15pounds.
• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• Failing to validate big game kill card.
• Loaning of license/big game kill card.
• Falsify information with regards to registering a deer with the NCWRC. 

Ashley Briana Leviner, 26:

• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• Failing to validate big game kill card.
• Failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• Hunt with the aid of motor vehicle.

William Alexander Maples, 21:

• 2 counts of trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• Hunt from the right of way of road.
• Possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• Transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Littering not greater than 15 pounds.

Austin Douglas McBryde, 20:

• Driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road. 

Brian Phillip McCroskey, 30:

• 4 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 3 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• Exceed the season’s deer limit.
• Possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.

Brian Philip McDonald, 44:

• 3 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 2 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 2 counts of exceeding the season’s deer limit.
• 2 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Borrowing of license/big game kill card.
• Driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.

 Charles Philip McDonald, 66:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 2 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Hunt from the right of way of road.
• Night deer hunting
• Borrowing of license/big game kill card.
• Failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

Jordan Bryan McDonald, 19:

• Hunt from the right of way of road.
• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

Roy Marshall McDonald Jr., 42:

• 2 counts of driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road. 

Michael Harris Odom, 46:

• Loaning of license/big game kill card.
• Possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Falsify information with regards to registering a deer with the NCWRC.
• 2 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 2 counts of trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• Hunt from the right of way of road.

Mark Thomas Yarbrough Porter, 25:

• 2 counts of trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 2 counts of littering not greater than 15pounds.
• 3 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 3 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 3 counts of taking deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 2 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.

Christopher Leon Robinson, 40:

• Failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

Brennan Chad Rorie, 24:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting. 

Calvin Lewis Sedberry, 52:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 5 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 3 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 2 counts driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.
• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• Borrowing of license/big game kill card.
• 2 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.

 Kenneth Allan Sedberry, 54:

• 2 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

John Arthur Taylor, 26:

• Possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• Transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 3 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 3 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 3 counts of driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.
• 2 counts of trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• Engage in taxidermy work without a taxidermy license.

Aaron Franklin Thomas, 44:

• Failing to register big game kill with NCWRC. 

David Matthew Williams, 34:

• 2 counts of littering not greater than 15 pounds.
• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• Take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• Failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.

Jacob Shane Williams, 28:

• 4 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 4 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 5 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 4 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• Littering not greater than 15 pounds.
• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• Hunt with the aid of motor vehicle.
• 4 counts of exceeding the season’s limit for deer. 

Tyler Scott Williams, 21:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.
• 11 counts of failing to register big game kill with NCWRC.
• 10 counts of failing to validate big game kill card.
• 6 counts of take deer on the Sandhills Game Lands during the closed season.
• 7 counts of possession of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 5 counts of transportation of deer knowing it to have been unlawfully taken.
• 2 counts of driving a motorized vehicle on a closed game lands road.
• 4 counts of exceeding the season’s limit for deer.
• Hunt from the right of way of road. 

James Stephen Wilson, 71:

• Trespass for the purpose of hunting.

Wildlife officials say other evidence has been turned over to the District Attorney’s office, which will decide if said evidence warrants additional charges.

The defendants are scheduled to appear in court Aug. 21.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.