Wildlife News
Mercer County Deer Processor Faces Numerous Charges
By TSN/PGC
Feb 20, 2008, 13:05 PST

GREENVILLE, Pa- After a lengthy investigation, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials, on February 7, filed numerous charges against Randy Eugene Taranto, 45, of Delaware Township, Mercer County, for the unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife and illegally buying and selling game. Charges were filed before District Judge Lorinda Hinch, of Mercer.

"We received information from an anonymous caller, who reported Taranto was selling venison hot sticks at a club in Greenville," said Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Don Chaybin, who serves Mercer County.

From March of 2006, to December of 2007, undercover Game Commission officers investigated Taranto and his deer processing business. On three separate occasions, he accepted a total of four deer for processing that were unlawfully taken or not properly marked. On four separate occasions, Taranto illegally sold processed and packaged venison and venison products (bologna and hot sticks) from 10 deer to agency undercover officers. On two other occasions, he offered to sell deer to undercover officers, but no transactions were made on those dates.

In total, Taranto is charged with four counts of unlawfully taking or possession of game or wildlife and 12 counts of illegally buying and selling game. Each violation is a second-degree summary that carries a fine of $300 to $800. If convicted of all 16 counts, the fines could range from $4,800 to $12,800, plus court costs and restitution, which could push the fines to more than $14,000.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission noted: House Bill 2205, sponsored by House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward Staback, proposes to increase fines and penalties for a variety of wildlife violations.