Illegal Fishing Leads To Drug Bust

HAVERSTRAW, NY — A New York state Conservation officer was patrolling Harriman State Park Aug. 8 when he observed five men fishing from shore at Sabago Lake.

As ECO Corey Hornicek approached to ask if any of them had fishing licenses, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana. One of the five said that he had a fishing license, but it was in his car at the parking lot. The others also claimed that their identification was in the parked car.

So ECO Hornicek asked the anglers to walk back to the parking lot.

He also asked State Park Police to respond for assistance.

At the parking lot, ECO Hornicek determined that none of the five had a valid fishing license. After a short interview, the park police officer gained permission from the vehicle’s owner to search it and discovered a secret compartment in a rear wheel well containing alcoholic beverages, numerous $100 bills, and a vial of concentrated THC, a controlled substance in New York.

The officer arrested the owner of the car, charging him with several misdemeanors. ECO Hornicek issued tickets to all five for fishing without a freshwater fishing license, returnable to the Town of Haverstraw Court.

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