Report of deer poaching off I-459 in Hoover leads to 4 men being held in ICE custody

From The Jefferson County Journal staff reports

HOOVER—An alleged incident of poaching has resulted in four men being taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Carol Robinson of Al.com.

Robinson reported that the four men are believed to be in the country illegally and that authorities said they engaged in the poaching of deer in Hoover, off of I-459 between Highway 150 and the Riverchase Galleria exits.

Authorities were alerted to the incident after the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural resources received a tip from a hunter that leases the property.  He informed senior conservation enforcement officer Kerry Bradford that he had discovered four men illegally hunting in the area.

“He said, ‘There some poachers and they’re shooting all around me.’ He counted anywhere from between 15 to 20 gunshots,’’ said Bradford . “If you can imagine being the only one who is supposed to be hunting there and then you hear a substantial amount of gunfire, he was very excited.”

Bradford informed the hunter that it would take him 45 minutes to reach the scene.  He advised the hunter to call Hoover police.  When Hoover police arrived two officer and two hunters entered the wood and found the four suspects, according to Carol Robinson.

Robinson reported that each of the suspects were armed, however law enforcement removed their weapons and handcuffed them.

After Bradford arrived, he assessed the situation, and interviewed the one suspect that spoke English, he then notified ICE who arrived on the scene and noted that one of the men had previously been deported from the U.S., according to Robinson.

Robinson reported that the incident led to the confiscation of two rifles, two shotguns and ammunition including ammunition of a higher power than what is usually associated with hunting.

The four men are currently in the custody of ICE.