A Prince George’s County man being investigated for trespassing was charged Thursday with 21 counts of poaching.
Victor Joston Ross Davis, 28, of Bowie, received citations after he told officers that he killed but did not document or report three deer: two button bucks and a seven-point buck.
Officers were called to private property owned by the Fairwood Community Association after residents saw a man dressed in camouflage and carrying a bow walking near a wooded area. When confronted, he ran. A K-9 unit tracked the suspect to a home, where they found a butchered deer carcass in the backyard.
The homeowner allowed officers to search the premises. They found the bow and arrows, camouflage clothing matching a photo taken by one of the community residents and deer meat in a freezer.
Davis was charged with multiple counts: hunting within the safety zone, hunting on private property without written permission, failing to report the kills to the state, failing to complete a Big Game Harvest Record and removing the head or hide of the deer before check-in. He also was charged with single counts of failing to have a hunting license, failing to have a hunter safety certificate and failing to wear fluorescent orange.
A date has not been set in Prince George’s County District Court. If Davis pleads guilty to all charges, he would be fined $8,700. If he contests the charges and is found guilty, he could be fined a maximum of $31,500.
In addition, Prince George’s County Police Department charged Davis with brandishing a weapon when he threatened a nearby homeowner who had questioned his presence on private property.
Davis is set to stand trial March 27 in Anne Arundel County District Court on charges of second-degree assault and misdemeanor theft in connection with a November incident.
