4 men nabbed in sting on poaching ring

BRIDGTON – Four men were arrested and 15 more face poaching charges after a two-year investigation came to a close Monday night.

Maine game wardens issued 10 search warrants simultaneously in locations in western Maine and New Hampshire in an attempt to break up a ring of poachers who were killing bear, deer and other wildlife illegally.

Lawrence Perry, 55, of Fryeburg was arrested on charges of night hunting, a Class D crime. Ernest Perreault Jr., 44, and Randy Burnell, 42, both of Brownfield, were arrested for exceeding the bag limit on deer. Stephen Bennett, 34, of Lovell was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

“It was clear this group felt that the state’s fish and wildlife laws did not apply to them,” said Maj. Thomas Santaguida of the Bridgton Police Department in a statement released by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

“Yet, they felt they were smart enough not to get caught because they didn’t poach deer in certain areas at certain times,” Santaguida said.

Santaguida helped direct the operation from the Bridgton Police Department, which had 86 officers participating, including 50 game wardens. The Maine Warden Service said it was one of the largest operations in the organization’s history.