'Storm troopers' terrorize western NC citizens...

Operation “Something Bruin” was run by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission (NCWRC), in conjunction with the United States Forest Service (USFS). This four-year, $2 million undercover operation was conducted to uncover bear poaching rings in our state. However, it has instead raised serious questions about the officers and agents involved in the operation.

Rather than pursuing legitimate poaching arrests, “Something Bruin” reportedly exposed 81 hunters and their families to terrible abuses at the hands of the undercover agents and officers. Hunters caught up in the operation report entrapment, killing of bears by the agents themselves, and the use of storm trooper tactics against hunters and their families. Ms. Linda Crisp and her daughter, Michelle, describe having their homes invaded, and family heirlooms seized by agents wearing body armor and carrying fully automatic weapons. As this occurred, parents were detained outside while small children were left screaming, scared and alone inside homes.

Scores of arrests yielded very few convictions. State charges against most of the hunters have reportedly been dismissed, while only a few were later rearrested on federal charges. These are not the statistics you would expect to see from a legitimate undercover operation. 


Valone demands answers

Now GRNC President F. Paul Valone is demanding answers—and action. Pursuant to a conversation about the travesty between Valone and Congressman Mark Meadows (R-11, GRNC ****), Meadows sent letters to Inspectors General at the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture demanding an investigation.

Valone has already delivered letters to Governor McCrory and Senator Burr, calling for both state and federal investigations and, if illegal entrapment occurred, for criminal prosecution of the agents responsible. Said Valone: "If it can be proven that USFS or NCWRC officers committed wildlife violations or illegally entrapped hunters, the citizens victimized by their actions deserve to see appropriate criminal charges filed," Valone further demanded that the Attorney General Roy Cooper conduct an investigation of the NCWRC officers involved.

• EMAIL Gov. Pat McCrory & Sen. Richard Burr: Below, use the links to reach their respective contact pages, and send the text from the “Deliver This Message” section.
  
  
• PHONE Gov. McCrory & Sen. Burr: Use the phone numbers listed below. Let them know that you’re aware of what happened during operation “Something’s Bruin.” Tell them that the use of entrapment and storm trooper tactics against North Carolina citizens should not be tolerated, and a proper investigation must be conducted. If Wildlife Resource Commission officers are indeed responsible for poaching bears, entrapping hunters, and intimidating hunters’ families with automatic weapons, we must know about it; and justice must be served.
  
  
• THANK Rep. Mark Meadows: Use the contact form below or call Congressman Meadows to thank him for his courage in defending North Carolinians against federal abuses.
  
  
• CONTRIBUTE to GRNC: In order to continue fighting for your rights, GRNC needs your support. Please CLICK HERE
  or go to: http://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute
  
  
  

CONTACT INFO

Governor Pat McCrory: 919-814-2000, http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat and

Senator Richard Burr: 202-224-3154, http://www.burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

(Thank) Rep. Mark Meadows: 202-225-6401, https://meadows.house.gov/email-me/

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Investigate ‘Something Bruin’"

Dear [Governor McCrory] or   [Senator Burr]:

I have just learned of an undercover operation called “Something Bruin,” which was a joint operation between the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission (NCWRC), and the United States Forest Service (USFS). The operation was ostensibly conducted to break up poaching rings in North Carolina. Unfortunately, it seems the operation took a wrong turn, an ominous turn, and now there are a lot of questions to be answered. 

During the execution of “Something Bruin,” unseemly and illegal tactics had reportedly been used. Entrapment, poaching conducted by the agents themselves, and storm trooper-style raids on the homes of citizens are the most glaring examples of these. What’s more, after scores of arrests, large numbers of the poaching cases have reportedly been dismissed, further diminishing any impression of the operation’s legitimacy. The young children of hunters should not be staring down the barrel of automatic weapons because of poaching charges that won’t even stand the scrutiny of a court’s most cursory glance. This is not the way citizens should be treated, and you will probably agree that it’s not how we do things in North Carolina.

In light of the facts, it seems imperative that an investigation be conducted of all state and federal agents involved in “Something Bruin.” If the officers did indeed employ illegal tactics, the citizens victimized by the officers’ actions deserve to see justice.

I will continue to monitor this issue via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,