CANTON — A 20-year-old man is charged with criminal mischief in connection with a recent party on state Wildlife Management Land.

According to a press release from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Forest Ranger Shea responded to reports of a party in the Upper and Lower Lake Wilderness Management Area on July 30 at 9:20 p.m. The DEC said the party was believed to be connected to an ongoing investigation into a criminal mischief incident from June 21.

Ranger Shea witnessed an individual using a pick-up truck to break a chain that locked the gated access to the area, providing access to an additional 50 partygoers, DEC said.

The gathering was quickly dispersed, and the area was cleaned up.

The 20-year-old male was taken into custody on a criminal mischief charge and transported to State Police Canton for processing.

Assisting with this enforcement action was Forest Ranger Benzel, New York State Police, and the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office.

According to the DEC, the primary purposes of Upper and Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation.

This WMA is a large developed wetland complex lying between the Grass River and the Oswegatchie River. It is 8,757 acres and is located 3 miles west of the village of Canton and 12 miles east of the city of Ogdensburg.

The village of Rensselaer Falls is on the western edge of the WMA, adjacent to the refuge and Indian Creek Nature Center (leaves DEC website). It is bounded on four sides by public roads: State Route 68, Irish Settlement Road, County Road 14, and County Road 15.