BUCKHANNON – A Buckhannon man was arrested after allegedly fleeing from home confinement and then being found hunting without a license.
Nathaniel Cragle, 28, of Buckhannon was arrested Wednesday for escape, hunting without a license and obstructing an officer.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by Deputy T.R. Collins, on Dec. 14, 2022, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a man armed with a bow who was walking in the parking lot of the Buckhannon Christian Academy on Brushy Fork Road.
When Collins arrived on the scene, he observed a man wearing dark-colored clothing and armed with a bow near the creek on Mike Ross’s property. According to the report, Collins contacted the male, who allegedly gave a fake name and said he was looking for a lost arrow that he had shot at a rabbit. He also allegedly admitted to not possessing a valid West Virginia hunting license.
When Collins ran the fake name and date of birth through the Upshur Comm Center, they could not find a match. As Collins began placing the man under arrest and reading him his rights, he allegedly stated his name was Nathaniel Cragle and admitted he was a wanted person.
According to a second criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by Sgt. Rodney Rolenson with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Cragle unlawfully escaped from home confinement custody by removing his GPS bracelet and leaving his approved residence without permission.
According to the complaint, Cragle was placed on court-ordered home confinement for entering a building other than a dwelling. He then reported to the home confinement office for a random drug screening and allegedly tested positive for Fentanyl.
Treatment was offered, and Cragle was transported to UHC Detox Center on Nov. 23 by his father, the complaint states, but he refused to stay at detox and was transported back to his residence.
“He did allow his bracelet to expire, causing him to be unable to be GPS monitored,” the complaint states. “Numerous attempted have been made to locate defendant without success.”
Bail was set at $25,000 cash or surety by Upshur County Magistrate Alan Suder.
The potential penalty for escape is confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than 10 years, or at the discretion of the court, confinement in jail and a fine of not more than $2,500.
The potential penalty for hunting without a license is confinement in jail for not less than 10 nor more than 100 days, a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $500, or both.
The potential penalty for obstructing an officer is confinement in jail for not more than one year, a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500, or both.
