Vocal supporter of deer-farming has been arrested

A Raleigh man who has been a vocal spokesman for deer farming faces charges of obtaining property by false pretenses

A man arrested in Wake County earlier this month for obtaining property by false pretenses in Stanly County is a long-time supporter of the North Carolina Deer Farmers Association’s legislative attempts to relax import-export rules for captive cervids and allow more cervid farms in the state.

John Charles Placic, 52, of Forestville Road, Raleigh, was a vocal supporter of deer-farming during discussions last fall. He was one of six deer-farm supporters chosen to speak at a legislative hearing called by Rep. Roger West (R-Cherokee), he spoke at an October public hearing called by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, and he even managed an appointment to a Cervids Task Force from Gordon Myers, the executive director of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Placic, who allegedly used several aliases, including “John Charles,” was known to the Commission as someone interested in the state’s cervid-farm management. Cervids include white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, red deer, fallow deer and axis deer. At various times, he represented his businesses as River Oaks Wildlife Management and Delta Wildlife Management.

“John Charles, or whatever his name may be, was not initially invited to be a member of the task force,” Myers said. “However, he was attending committee meetings regularly and was therefore very much aware of the task force.

“He requested that he be allowed to participate, and we decided to honor his request as a stake-holder – something that we did not want to squelch. He was an addition to the group, thus he in no way bumped anyone else from participating.

“There was absolutely no tie or connection to any other person, nor was there any political influence whatsoever.”

Myers wouldn’t speculate about Placic’s motives for becoming involved in the cervid task force.

Sources believe Placic may have attempted to gain credibility with the appointment to help curry favor with well-heeled NCDFA members, who spread  contributions around a number of politicians during last fall’s campaigns.