In an investigation that has been going on since November of last year, authorities were finally able to lay charges in another case of egregious wildlife crimes in Pennsylvania.
Angelica S. Morgan, 19, and Michael T. Matson Jr., 21, both of Bolivar, and Chase A. Piper, 20, of Derry Township, are charged with multiple counts of taking big game and using a motorized vehicle while hunting. Matson and Morgan face additional counts of tampering with evidence. Matson is accused of unlawfully having a firearm and is not permitted to have one because of past felony convictions.
While the initial tip that came in only contained details of an illegally taken whitetail buck, the investigation quickly uncovered additional crimes.
Game wardens descended on the home of Matson and Morgan in late November last year, only five days ahead of the regular firearm season. There they executed a search warrant on their home and cell phones, uncovering a variety of photographs and messages about multiple deer being killed. Authorities also recovered and seized deer meat and antlers from the property.
At this time, Piper had yet to be implicated in the incident, but Matson and Morgan came clean to investigators telling them that a number of messages and photos had been deleted prior to the warrant being served.
It was later discovered that Piper and Matson had shot and killed a number of bucks and does, including one particular incident when the pair shot three deer in one night. According to reports, the men were driving in a vehicle, making stops to fire shots from either inside the vehicle or from the roadway.
Morgan was allegedly present at the scene when four deer were either shot or killed along a roadway and is also accused of helping Piper and Matson recover another buck in late October of last year.
Piper and Morgan were arraigned Thursday and freed on $10,000 unsecured bail. An arrest warrant had been issued for Matson. Preliminary hearings for Piper and Morgan are set for later this week.
