In Rockingham County Superior Court Aaron J. Marconi, 39, pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor charges and was found guilty. Under a plea bargain, Marconi was given a 6-month suspended jail sentence and fined $6,000. Marconi was originally charged with two felony theft by unauthorized taking charges as well as the three misdemeanor offenses.
According to Assistant County Attorney Scott Jordan the main purpose of the verdict was to punish Marconi by taking away his fishing license, a penalty that is not available under the felony theft statutes. He explained that the verdict has conveyed a message that if someone is “going to mess with this industry, then we are going to punish you in the most effective manner and that is to take your license.”
The probe was started when the lobstermen complained to New Hampshire Fish and Game tconservation officers’ hat someone was tampering with and stealing lobster traps along the New Hamsphire coast. As per Jordan statement three lobsterman told investigators Marconi was responsible for the theft. He explained the lobstermen can identify their traps because each has a particular way to set them.
Rockingham County Attorney James M. Reams congratulated Fish and Game for its “dogged and detailed investigation.”
