Property owner’s trail cam catches man digging for ginseng without permission

A rural Bloomfield man is accused of walking across the properties of several landowners before stopping to dig ginseng on one of the properties, without permission. One landowner had trail cams set up and was able to identify the suspect.

Marvin E. Craig, 58, Bloomfield, is facing a charge of use of private land without consent – a knowing or intentional violation, a Class C misdemeanor.

Indiana Conservation Officer Greg Swanson started an investigation at the end of September into a complaint of trespassing. In a meeting with ICO Swanson, a property owner told him two men had come onto his property and had been digging ginseng.

According to ICO Swanson, the property owner had located a patch of ginseng plants on his property and had placed a camera facing them. The property owner had pictures from trail cams that showed two men entering and exiting the property and other pictures that showed the two men on their knees digging for the ginseng.

Although the property owner did not recognize the men, he posted photos on Facebook and someone told him the names of the two men.

ICO Swanson said he searched for the names in BMV files and the driver’s license photo of Craig appeared to match the trail cam photos.

In early October, ICO Swanson talked to Craig, who already knew about the photos on Facebook. Craig said the second man was a family member who is mentally handicapped.

According to ICO Swanson, Craig said he had permission from “Barker” and did not realize the property had changed hands. When asked when he got permission, he said it had been years ago.

When ICO Swanson asked how he got to the property and Craig told him where he was dropped off and where he walked, ICO Swanson told him he had walked across the property of six different landowners.

ICO Swanson talked to the property owner again and asked about the property changing hands. The property owner said the location of the ginseng patch had been in his family since the 1940s.

ICO Swanson noted the property owner had “No Trespassing” signs posted at the entrance to the property and on a corner.   

The case against Craig was filed last Wednesday, October 23 and a date was set for an initial hearing. But the case has been continued to give the prosecutor’s office time to determine if Craig might qualify for pre-trial diversion.