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Police Say Campers Killed And Grilled State-Endangered Rattlesnake

LITTLE ORLEANS, Md. (AP) -- Police say a group of young men killed and cooked a timber rattlesnake in the Green Ridge State Forest near Little Orleans in western Maryland.

The timber rattler is a state-endangered species.

Maryland Natural Resources Police said Tuesday that five men from Glen Burnie have been charged with destroying the snake, destroying trees, target shooting, fishing without licenses and possessing marijuana while camping Sunday.

Police say they killed the snake with a BB gun and grilled it.

The defendants are 18-year-old Austin Golas and Travis Luedtke; and 19-year-old Jared Holt, Paul Lafon IV and Erick Reffitt. None returned calls to their homes. No defense attorneys are listed in online court records.

Police say two juveniles who were with them have been referred to the Department of Juvenile Services.

(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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