Two 19-year-olds were arrested for allegedly hunting illegally at night on a public road within media maven Oprah Winfrey’s Hawaii property, authorities said on Monday.
Luke Allen and Ty Munoz, both of Maui, were allegedly using a spotlight for hunting purposes when they were stopped by officers from Hawaii’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement just before midnight on Friday, June 21. The teens were on a public road that runs through Winfrey’s ranch property.
Officers from the division found that the men had a loaded shotgun and rifle in their truck, along with other ammunition. A further investigation determined that neither Munoz or Allen had a valid hunting license. The rifle that Allen had in his possession was also unregistered, officials said, and the two did not have permission to be hunting on private land at night.
DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement
It’s not clear what type of animal they may have intended to hunt. Invasive axis deer run rampant on Maui and other Hawaiian islands, according to the Associated Press.
Both were arrested and charged with firearms and hunting violations.
The case has been referred to the Maui County Prosecutors Office for review and charging, CBS News affiliate KGMB reported.
“Last month, DLNR reached out to Upcountry ranchers regarding their efforts to prevent illegal poaching throughout the area and we agreed to cooperate. The arrests did not happen on the property,” Winfrey’s production company, Harpo, told the Associated Press in an emailed statement on Monday.
