PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Division of Law Enforcement today announced the arrest of Brian Briggs, age 56, of South Kingstown. Briggs was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violent crime, killing/possessing a protected bird, unlawful possession of deer, hunting without a license, and two counts of failure to tag/check whitetail deer.
On May 9, South Kingstown Police requested assistance from DEM regarding a hunting complaint in which Briggs had allegedly fired a shotgun using buckshot and struck a house. DEM environmental police officers learned that Briggs was a convicted felon for a crime of violence and was prohibited from possessing firearms. During their investigation on Briggs' property, DEM environmental police officers discovered seven firearms, three deer heads that had been taken without reporting, and a freshly-killed Great Blue Heron, which is a federally-protected bird. Briggs was arraigned today in 4th Division Court in Washington County and released on $5,000 personal recognizance.
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