YORK COUNTY RESIDENT SENTENCED TO UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON
Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Darren David announced that Brian Dale Waugh, 39, of Dover, York County, recently was sentenced to a three- to 10-year prison sentence after being charged with various crimes stemming from a night-time poaching incident off of Rife Road in Reading Township, Adams County, on Dec. 26.
Waugh, who is a convicted felon not allowed to possess any firearm, was involved in shooting a deer from a motor vehicle using a rifle and spotlight, with two juveniles (ages 11 and 15) in the vehicle at the time. He also was in possession of marijuana.
On April 2, Waugh entered into a plea agreement with the Adams County District Attorney’s office, after being incarcerated, since Jan. 4, at the Adams County Prison following a felony arrest warrant served by Game Commission WCOs.
In the same incident, Todd Edgecomb, 38, of York, York County, was the driver of the vehicle that night, and has been charged jointly by the Game Commission and Reading Township Police Department with corruption of minors; driving under the influence of alcohol; possession of marijuana; unlawful use of lights while hunting; taking big game in closed season; hunting through the use of a motorized vehicle; loaded firearms in a vehicle; and spotlighting for wildlife after lawful hours. Edgecomb’s preliminary hearing still is pending.
“I hope news of this will send a sobering message to other would-be poachers out there, especially those who would also involve alcohol, drugs, and worst of all – children,” WCO David said. “This type of activity not only represents a significant theft of our precious wildlife resources and corruption of youth, but is a serious danger to all involved as well as the public.”
