Canadian pleads not guilty to illegally entering US to hunt moose

A Canadian citizen arrested near the St. Zacharie Port of Entry earlier this week and charged with entering the United States and hunting moose illegally has pleaded not guilty, officials said Friday.

Simon Grenier, 51, is being held without bail in the Piscataquis County Jail, a jail supervisor said.

U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Jackman Station, along with a Maine Warden Service game warden, arrested Grenier Tuesday on a federal charge of illegal entry to the United States, and on state charges of hunting moose during a closed season, hunting moose overlooking bait and hunting moose without a permit, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Houlton office.

Grenier had a firearm, but officials reached on Friday did not specify what kind of weapon he had nor the town he is from.

Grenier pleaded not guilty to the charges in U.S. District Court in Bangor on Thursday. No further court date has been set, the jail supervisor said.