Meriden Man Charged With Illegal Hunting

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden man was arrested Monday on illegal hunting charges following a lengthy investigation and authorities are asking for assistance with identifying two additional “persons of interest,” according to police. Giovanni Carabetta, 22, of Canyon Drive in Merien, was taken into custody Feb. 12 by the state DEEP Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police on an arrest warrant. The warrant stems from a lengthy investigation that began on Thanksgiving, according to police.

On Nov. 23, 2017, State EnCon Police Officers on foot patrol of Giuffrida Park in Meriden located an illegal hunting tree stand and other items indicating illegal firearms hunting had been taking place, according to police. Carabetta is accused of hunting in Giuffrida Park on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22.

“There is no hunting in Giuffrida Park and the City of Meriden does not give out permission for people to hunt there,” State EnCon Police wrote in a press release. “Carabetta is also accused of not wearing the required 400-hundred square inches of fluorescent orange while he was hunting. Four-Hundred square inches of fluorescent orange is required to be worn from Sept. 1 to the last day in February, outside of certain exemptions, while hunting.”

Police are also seeking help with identifying two other people who are believed to be have been illegally hunting in Giuffrida Park during the same time period. The suspects are pictured in the trail camera photos.

Carabetta was charged with two counts each of third-degree criminal trespass, hunting on private land without permission, failure to wear 400-hundred square inches of orange while hunting and one count of interfering with an officer. He was released after posting a $1,000 cash bond and is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on Feb. 26.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the State EnCon Police at 860-424-3012.

Photos via State EnCon Police