Carroll Russell of Orneville pled guilty recently in Piscataquis County District Court in Dover to the charge of Unlawful Cutting of Trees. Forest Ranger Doug Huettner of the Maine Forest Service, Division of Forest Protection responded to a complaint of timber theft in March of 2008 in the town of Orneville.

Ranger Huettner's investigation showed that loggers employed by Carroll Russell crossed a recently blazed and painted property line and cut approximately 3 acres of timber belonging to American Forest Management of Milford, Maine.

Upon pleading guilty to Unlawful Cutting of Trees, Russell was ordered to pay restitution of $8,474.31 and a fine of $200.00. According to Ranger Huettner, the restitution was based on 3 times the value of the stumpage price of the wood as is provided in the law. Ranger Huettner said, "The job of investigating this case was made easier by the fact that the landowner had maintained the marking of the property lines. We recommend that any landowner with a surveyed property line take the time to keep it clearly marked".