Man, with dead deer on porch, charged with illegal hunt

A Wilmington man was arrested and charged with illegal deer hunting Sunday after police found a dead white-tailed deer on his front porch, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Police received an anonymous tip Saturday about a dead white-tailed deer on a front porch in New Castle County that prompted them to visit the home, said Sgt. John McDerby with the Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Natural Resources Police on Monday.

"They saw this deer on the porch and just thought it was odd," McDerby said.

At the residence, police questioned Jeremy W. Nacchio, 24, McDerby said, and eventually charged him with hunting without a license, illegally hunting on Sunday, trespassing to hunt, possession of unlawfully taken antlered deer, transporting unlawfully taken antlered deer, harvesting antlered deer without purchasing an antlered deer tag, failure to tag an antlered deer and failure to check an antlered deer within 24 hours.

Nacchio pled guilty to the charges of hunting without a license, illegally hunting on Sunday, possession of unlawfully taken antlered deer and failure to tag an antlered deer in Justice of the Peace Court 11 in New Castle.

He was ordered to pay $2,800 in fines, including court costs, and also had his hunting privileges revoked for three years.

Citizens are encouraged to report fish and wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling (302) 739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling (800) 292-3030 or online at www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Hunting/Pages/OpGameTheft.aspx.

Jen Rini can be reached at (302) 324-2386 or jrini@delawareonline.com. Follow @JenRini on Twitter.