P R E S S R E L E A S E

Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police Arrest Illegal Trapper

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) State Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon Police) have arrested a Burlington man on numerous charges related to allegations of illegal trapping in the town of Winchester.

On Friday January 29, 2010, EnCon Police arrested Conrad R. Doty, age 57, of Burlington, CT with an arrest warrant charging him with 16 counts of illegal trapping; violation of regulations for taking a wild quadruped; failure to carry written consent of the landowner while trapping; illegal trapping of a bobcat; 3 counts of criminal mischief 3rd degree; 2 counts of criminal trespass 3rd degree; and violation of regulations for hunting by a minor.

This arrest is the culmination of an investigation EnCon Police officers began in early December 2009 after the EnCon Police received a report of a bobcat caught in an illegal snare trap in Winchester. EnCon Police officers tranquilized the bobcat and were able to release it back into the wild with no injuries.

It is illegal to use a snare as a trap and illegal to trap bobcat in Connecticut. EnCon Police officers located a number of other illegal snare traps set on the property and began surveillance of the area. The next day EnCon Police officers observed Doty arrive in the area where he began searching for the illegal snares. Officers seized a quantity of trapping equipment that Doty had in his possession.

The investigation determined that besides using illegal traps, Doty had allegedly been trapping on the property without permission of the property owner. Evidence seized at the scene and equipment seized from Doty was brought to the State Police Forensic Laboratory in Meriden where forensic examination of the evidence positively linked Doty to the illegal trapping activity.

Doty was released on a written promise to appear in court at in Bantam Superior Court on February 8, 2010.