WOODHULL, N.Y. (WENY ) – Three men have been charged in by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in connection with a recent deer poaching incident.

According to the DEC, 23-year-old Alex Nadjadi of Savona and Jeffery Duell, 29, and Nathan Karns, 24, of Coudersport Pennsylvania have been charged with a total of 40 misdemeanor offenses stemming from an investigation into the illegal taking of eight deer.

DEC police say the offenses include 38 Environmental Conservation Law misdemeanors, one New York Vehicle and Traffic Law misdemeanor and one Criminal Possession of a Weapon misdemeanor.

On December 9, Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Farrand received a complaint from a resident who says they heard a gun shot and saw a car repeatedly driving up and down a road in the town of Woodhull.

ECO Farrand responded to the complaint and says the resident had confronted Duell, who had been driving up and down the road.

Shortly after, Karns was found walking down the road.

The DEC says Duell had dropped Karns off to look for a deer the pair had shot after they allegedly spotlighted it with their headlights.

The DEC says the investigation determined eight deer had been illegally shot after sunset with the help of vehicle headlights on Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9. Further investigation led ECOs identifying Nadjadi as a third suspect.

ECOs Larrand, Lomozik and Baker located the poached deer dispersed in four separate locations: a field in Woodhull, dropped on the roadside in Woodhull, in Nadjadi's possession and in a barn in Allegany County.

Karns was arrested for the following 17 misdemeanor offenses and faces up to $41,000 in fines and/or up to 17 years in jail:

• Eight counts of taking a deer with the aid of a motor vehicle (misdemeanor) $2000/misd

• Eight counts of the illegal taking of a deer (misdemeanor) $3000/misd

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon (misdemeanor) $1,000/misd

Duell was ticketed for the following violations and faces up to $40,500 in fines and/or up to 16 years in jail:

• Eight counts of taking a deer with the aid of a motor vehicle (misdemeanor)

• Eight counts of the illegal taking of a deer (misdemeanor)

• One count of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle (misdemeanor)

Nadjadi was ticketed for the following violations and faces up to $15,000 in fines and/or up to 6 years in jail:

• Three counts of taking a deer with the aid of a motor vehicle (misdemeanor)

• Three counts of the illegal taking of a deer (misdemeanor)

The charges are answerable in Woodhull Town Court on Jan. 8. The deer were seized as evidence and the meat was donated to a New York State member of the Venison Donation Coalition.

DEC would like to remind all hunters to follow DEC's Hunting Safety Rules:

• Assume every gun is loaded.

• Control the muzzle. Point your gun in a safe direction.

• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.

• Be sure of your target and beyond.

• Do not hunt deer and bear in the dark; big game hunting ends at sunset (link leaves DEC's website).

• DEC encourages hunters to wear blaze orange or pink. Wearing orange or pink prevents other hunters from mistaking a person for an animal or shooting in your direction. Hunters who wear hunter orange are seven times less likely to be shot.