New Jersey man charged with shooting 4 black bear cubs

NEW JERSEY - A 22-year-old New Jersey man was issued multiple summonses, and faces thousands in fines, after four black bear cubs were found shot and killed Sunday in Passaic County, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation police officers received a report around 4 p.m. of three dead bears in Ringwood Township found by a hiker in the area off Valley Road. Officials say a fourth was later located.

All of the animals had been shot and all were cubs. 

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers issued Matthew Ligus multiple summonses Tuesday, including hunting with a firearm without a firearm license and hunting with an illegal weapon. He also faces multiple counts of hunting during the closed season, careless discharge, hunting within 450 feet of an occupied dwelling and using Illegal ammunition.

All carry the possibly of thousands of dollars in fines.

The charges will be adjudicated in Ringwood Municipal Court.