Law Enforcement Weekly Report October 21 through October 27, 2016

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

October 21, 2016 through October 27, 2016

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past two weeks; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

 

Patrol, Protect, Preserve

 

NORTHWEST REGION

 

CASES

 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

 

Officer Barnard inspected a fisherman’s catch when he returned to the Archie Glover Boat Ramp and found him in possession of 14 gallons of blue crabs. The legal limit is 10 gallons. A notice to appear citation was issued to the individual for the violation.

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY

 

Officers Bartlett and Molnar were on land patrol conducting state fisheries and license inspections at Swift Bayou Boat Ramp, and observed a vehicle backing down with a Jon boat with two individuals standing by it. The individuals stated the Jon boat was just purchased, but they were unable to produce a bill of sale. When Officer Molnar walked by their vehicle, he noticed an open container of beer and an odor of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle. When asked, the vehicle owner stated there was a small amount of cannabis inside the center console. A vehicle search revealed three separate baggies containing cannabis, a glass smoking device and 1½ pills of hydrocodone for which the vehicle owner was unable to produce a prescription. The second individual was found to be in possession of three rolled cannabis cigarettes in his pants pocket. Officer Bartlett issued him a notice to appear citation (less than 20 grams). The vehicle owner was arrested and charged with possession of controlled substance, possession of cannabis less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

 

Officers Corbin and Pifer were on land patrol conducting state fisheries and license inspections at the Shalimar Bridge. The officers observed two individuals actively fishing with rods and reels. A subsequent resource inspection revealed that one individual was in possession of four undersized mangrove snapper and one undersized spotted seatrout. One individual was issued a notice to appear citation and issued an infraction for no saltwater fishing license. The other individual was issued an infraction for no saltwater fishing license.

 

Lieutenant Clark was on land patrol and conducted an offload inspection on a commercial vessel at a local marina. During the inspection, the Tallahassee Regional Communication Center confirmed that one of the deckhands had an active local warrant out of Okaloosa County for violation of probation. The original charge was petty theft. The deckhand was arrested and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy transported him to the Okaloosa County Jail.

 

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

 

Officer Hutchinson received information about a baited area within the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA). He and Officer Arnette located the area and discovered it to be baited with corn and a tree stand and a game camera set up. During the opening of archery season, Officer Hutchinson located a vehicle parked on a closed road near the bait. He walked into the baited area and discovered a hunter in the tree stand approximately 15 yards from a large pile of corn. The hunter admitted to placing the bait out and hunting over it. The subject informed Officer Hutchinson that he baited the site several times prior to the hunting season. The subject was charged with placing grain on a WMA and attempting to take deer over bait within a WMA. He was also issued an infraction citation for driving on a closed road and had to remove the hunting equipment from the baited site.

 

Officer Arnette located a bait site within the Blackwater WMA prior to archery season. Officers Arnette and Hutchinson later returned to the area approximately two hours after daylight and walked into the baited site where they observed a hunter sitting in a tree stand overlooking a large pile of corn. The corn was approximately 20 feet from the base of the tree. The subject stated “I didn’t know the corn was here until I climbed up this morning at daylight.” While walking the subject back to the area where his brother was to pick him up, Officer Hutchinson observed several cut trees along a trail. After further investigation, the subject admitted to placing the bait in the WMA and hunting over bait. He also admitted to damaging/cutting trees on the state forest property. The subject was charged with placing grain/corn on a WMA and attempting to take deer over bait within the WMA. He was also issued a written warning for cutting/damaging trees on a WMA. When the subject’s brother arrived to pick him up, the officers recognized him as being another subject they caught earlier in the morning hunting over bait in a WMA. After interviewing the second subject again, he admitted to helping his brother place bait on the WMA.

 

Officer Lewis received a complaint from a hunter that had a game camera and SD card stolen from an area he was scouting for the upcoming archery season in the Blackwater WMA. The hunter also found a pile of corn in the area. On opening day of archery season, Officer Lewis observed a white female in a tree stand, hunting with a bow over the pile of corn. When asked if she was hunting with someone else, she said her husband was hunting down the road. Officer Lewis located her husband in a tree stand, hunting with a bow. Officer Lewis found remnants of a corn pile approximately 20 yards out from the direction the husband’s stand was facing. The husband stated that he dropped his wife off at her spot while it was still dark. He stated that he drove to his spot and climbed the tree he was in while it was still dark. Both subjects stated they did not know the corn was there. When questioned about the stolen game cameras, they stated they knew nothing about it. Officer Lewis charged them both with attempting to take wildlife in a WMA on lands upon which grain or other food had been deposited.

 

Officers P. and J. Rockwell were on land patrol in Blackwater WMA and observed a white Ford F150 parked on the side of the road. The officers got out of their patrol vehicle and observed two men in the woods. One was at the bottom of a tree and the other was lowering his bow from the tree while in his stand. The officers made contact with the subjects and found bait 15 yards from the hunter in the tree stand. During the subsequent interview, the subject admitted to putting out the bait that morning. Officer J. Rockwell charged the man with placing, exposing, or distributing any grain or other food for wildlife in a WMA.

 

Officer Jones was patrolling the Eglin WMA when he found a recently dumped pile of construction debris near Five Forks Road in Navarre. Officer Jones, with assistance from Investigator Schafer, initiated an investigation to determine who dumped the debris and learned that two construction workers dumped the debris, which was supposed to go to the landfill a few days earlier. Both suspects were issued citations for illegal dumping and were required to clean up the area.

 

WALTON COUNTY

 

Walton County officers worked a night-hunting detail with Pilot Tolbert and Lieutenant Golloher. Officers Tison and Letcher stopped a vehicle after they observed shots from the vehicle as it passed an 8‑point buck along the roadway. When they made contact with the driver, he admitted to shooting the buck with a handgun. A warrants check revealed the subject could not be in possession of a firearm due to an injunction. The officers later recovered the deer and the subject was charged with taking deer at night with a gun and light. Charges for possession of the firearm will be direct filed with documentation of the injunction.

 

DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS

 

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

 

On the opening days of archery season, officers assigned to south Santa Rosa County conducted a targeted enforcement detail on the Eglin WMA. Five officers worked approximately 80 hours targeting the illegal taking of deer, hunting in the closed areas and illegal entry into Eglin. Several arrests were made for illegal entry, hunting and permit violations and the taking of deer by illegal method during this detail.

 

 

NORTH CENTRAL REGION

 

CASES

 

ALACHUA COUNTY

 

While working a boating inspection request, Officer Stanley realized the vessel had previous Florida registration numbers. Looking at a picture, the officer could make out the previously assigned numbers and ran them through dispatch. Dispatch verified the vessel had been stolen out of Dixie County. Officer Stanley was also able to identify the seller of the vessel with the help of the person requesting the inspection, who had a bill of sale. The boat will be returned to the original owner and Officer Stanley will be working with the state attorney’s office on charges.

 

BAKER COUNTY

 

Officer Burnsed was patrolling the Osceola WMA when he found an area that had been baited with corn. Overlooking the corn from approximately 15 yards away was a lock-on tree stand. The next morning, Officer Burnsed and Lieutenant Huff went into the area and found a subject hunting over the baited area. The subject admitted to placing the corn out and was issued a citation for placing bait on a WMA.

 

CLAY COUNTY

 

Over the past week, Officer Heath made two stops for illegal deer taken out of Camp Blanding WMA. On one occasion, a subject shot a buck that was well below the antler rule minimum and on another occasion, Officer Heath found a subject to be in possession of a doe deer. Both subjects were issued notices to appear and the deer were seized as evidence.

 

COLUMBIA COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Kiss received a call from FWC dispatch about a single rifle shot in Columbia County. Upon arrival, he was told from an anonymous complainant that a deer was killed on a property nearby and they thought they heard a rifle shot, not a muzzleloader shot. With this information, the lieutenant proceeded up the suspect’s driveway and located a hunter in a shooting house. During a license/hunting check, the hunter was found using a modern centerfire rifle during the muzzleloader deer season. After Miranda warnings were issued, the hunter confessed to killing a buck with his rifle and dragging it into a millet field. The subject was charged with illegal method (using centerfire rifle during muzzleloader season), and possession of wildlife showing signs of being taken by unlawful method. The centerfire rifle and buck deer were seized as evidence.

 

DUVAL COUNTY

 

Officers Read and Geib conducted a resource inspection of a commercial shrimp boat while its crew offloaded its catch at a local fish house. While in the fish hold, Officer Read discovered two red drum behind rolled spare shrimp nets. Both fish were over the maximum size limit for possession. An interview of the crew revealed that one of the deck hands had chosen to keep the fish for his own use without the vessel captain’s knowledge. The fish were seized and the crewmember of the shrimp boat was cited accordingly.

 

While on land patrol in Four Creeks WMA, Officers Griffis, Hayes and Lieutenant Bridwell heard multiple gunshots coming from a Rayonier Hunting Club across State Road 200. They left Four Creeks WMA and made their way up White Post Road and initiated a vehicle stop on two vehicles. They made contact with the suspects in the Jeep and the GMC truck and learned that none of the four suspects were members of any Rayonier Hunting Clubs. Officer Griffis ran a records check on each subject and read Miranda warnings to all of the suspects. At that point, they admitted to shooting their rifles at trees in the woods. The records check revealed that three of the suspects were written a warning the night before in Four Creeks WMA for entering the forest/WMA after hours. All suspects were issued citations for trespass and instructed not to return to any Rayonier property without written permission.

 

Officer Stuhr was on park patrol in Little Talbot Island State Park when he noticed two individuals fishing in the marsh by Simpson Creek. He waited for the subject to walk back to the truck to a fishery inspection and noticed that one subject walking faster than the other and arrived at the truck before the other. Officer Stuhr was observing the subject through binoculars and noticed a plastic bag containing fish was removed from the fishing bucket and placed in the front seat of the truck. The subject then placed the bucket in the back of the truck bed, got in the truck, drove cautiously by Officer Stuhr’s vehicle and parked at a different location while his friend was still walking through the marsh to get to the truck. When the other subject exited the marsh, a fishery inspection was conducted. Officer Stuhr spoke to them briefly and then asked about the bag in the front seat that may have contained fish. The defendants denied there was a bag. Officer Stuhr obtained consent to search the truck and found a plastic bag filled with undersized black drum lying under a black jacket on the driver’s side floor board. There were eight undersized black drum between the two subjects resulting in one misdemeanor citation issued to both defendants.

 

Officers Sapp and Christmas responded to assist the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office with a pick-up truck they had stopped which had a freshly killed buck deer in the bed of the truck. There were three adult males in the truck along with three loaded rifles. One subject made a statement that the deer was killed on private property in Nassau County. All subjects were advised of their Miranda rights and after interviewing all the subjects, the officers found that all three subjects had driven onto the City of Jacksonville’s property (Cecil Field) where they parked and walked to hunt deer. One of the subjects shot the buck deer and all three loaded it in the truck. The buck had been shot with a .243-caliber rifle. All three subjects had been hunting with rifles during the muzzleloader season. All three subjects gave a written confession and were cited for violations of general methods to take game, trespassing, violation of a city park ordinance and illegal killing of game while trespassing.

 

HAMILTON COUNTY

 

Officer Cline was patrolling the Holton Creek and Suwannee Ridge WMAs in reference to a Special Mobility Impaired Hunt, where mobility impaired hunters are allowed to harvest either sex of deer and bring along a guest hunter who can harvest a legal buck. While at the WMA check station, Officer Cline encountered a disabled hunter and guest who were checking in a harvested doe. After hearing a conversation between the hunters and check station personnel, physical evidence was gathered at the site of the doe harvest that proved the guest hunter had harvested the doe, not the mobility impaired hunter. Officer Cline then made contact with the disabled hunter and guest at a local campground. Both individuals admitted to the violations, and the hunter was cited accordingly.

 

SUWANNEE COUNTY

 

Officer Boone received a call form a landowner in regard to hunting equipment found on his property, met with the landowner and located a hunting stand and game camera just inside the landowner’s property line. Several days later during archery season, he returned to the stand in the early morning hours and observed a subject dressed in camouflage who was holding a rifle. Watching the subject from a concealed location, he observed the individual picking up the rifle and looking through the scope at the surrounding area. After waiting until the subject climbed down from the stand to make contact, the subject initially stated he was hunting deer with the cross-bow located at the base of the tree still in its case. Officer Boone advised the subject he had been watching him for over an hour and then climbed in the stand to retrieve the rifle. The subject then freely admitted to hunting with a rifle during the archery season. The appropriate charges will be filed with the state attorney’s office.

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

 

ALACHUA COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Ferguson worked a race event at the San Felasco State Park on Saturday. The park hosted the “Gate 2 Gate Ultra Marathon.” The race event had approximately 500 people with 230 of them participating in either a 25K or a 50K cross country run through the park. With numerous spectators at different stations throughout the park cheering for the runners, all 230 runners completed the race within the eight-hour limit.

 

CLAY COUNTY

 

Officers Heath, Barber and Lieutenant Glover participated in the Annual Camp Blanding Youth Hunt. There were a total of 40 participants with 14 deer harvested over the two-day hunt. All participants were provided with lunch, courtesy of the FWC employees present at the hunt.

 

 

NORTHEAST REGION

 

CASES

 

LAKE COUNTY

 

Officer Shaw received a call about someone placing corn in the Seminole Forest WMA. After a thorough investigation, Officer Shaw determined that a relative of a subject registered for the mobility hunt placed the bait within 10 yards of the hunter’s blind. The subject admitted to distributing the corn and gave Officer Shaw a sworn written statement. The subject was cited accordingly.

 

PUTNAM COUNTY

 

Officer Taylor was patrolling at night when she conducted a resource inspection of a subject throwing a cast net for shrimp from a public dock. The subject could not produce a fishing license. He stated they were in his truck. Officer Taylor followed the subject to his truck where he produced a valid fishing license. However, upon further investigation, Officer Taylor found 8.5 gallons of shrimp in his possession. The legal limit is five gallons per person or vessel. The subject was issued a notice to appear in court.

 

VOLUSIA COUNTY

 

Officer West was working a remote riverside area in the very early morning hours in New Smyrna Beach when he stopped and inspected the catch of an adult male. The fisherman was issued a criminal notice to appear for possession of under the slot-size limit for snook, possession of over the daily bag limit of snook and possession of under the slot-size limit for red drum.

 

Officer West approached a truck parked in a suspicious manner along the shoreline in the New Smyrna Beach area in the very early morning. The adult male owner was inside the cab and in the process of using methamphetamine. He was arrested and charged with the felony violation of possession of methamphetamine and the misdemeanor violation of drug paraphernalia. He was transported and booked into the Volusia County Jail.

 

Officer West attended a suppression hearing that involved his charge and arrest of an adult male for BUI. After the judge ruled in the state’s favor on the suppression motion, the case was resolved without going to trial. The defendant was found guilty of BUI and refusal to submit to a breath test. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, 10 months of probation, 50 hours of community service, $2,000 in fines, a 10-day impoundment of his vessel and a substance abuse treatment plan.

 

Officer Bertolami was checking the local beachside fishing piers and inspected an adult male’s catch. The subject was found to be in possession of multiple mangrove snapper that were under the legal size limit and was issued a criminal citation for the violation.

 

Officer Bertolami checked an adult male fisherman leaving one of the inlet jetties. During the encounter, it was determined that the fisherman had an outstanding arrest warrant out of Volusia County for failure to appear on an earlier FWC citation for a fishing violation. He was transported and booked into the Volusia County Jail.

 

 

SOUTHWEST REGION

 

CASES

 

HERNANDO COUNTY

 

Officers Beckman, Pettifer and Williams responded to the Chassahowitzka WMA regarding a deer complaint. The check station operator reported that a hunter had checked in an illegal deer. The deer did not meet the requirement for harvest within the WMA. The officers conducted an investigation and, based on the totality of the circumstances, the hunter received a warning and the officers seized the deer.

 

Officer Williams received a call from dispatch in reference to a short-horn buck being taken in the Croom WMA. While in route, Officer Williams requested assistance from Officer Spradlin. Officer Spradlin conducted surveillance on a possible vehicle for the individual that harvested the deer. Officer Williams met with the complainant in order to find where the individual had gone. Shortly after, the individual and hunting partner were spotted dragging the buck through the WMA. Officer Spradlin stopped the two hunters, read them their Miranda rights and conducted an interview. The hunter that matched the description given by the complainant admitted to taking the illegal deer. Officer Williams issued a citation for the violation, and the deer was seized as evidence.

 

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

 

FWC Dispatch received information from a concerned citizen about individuals that had been dropped off on a piece of property owned by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). According to the information, the individuals were seen carrying tools consistent with artifact hunting. This area is known for unlawful artifact removal, and Investigator Prouty, K-9 Officer Wolff, Lieutenant Parisoe and Lieutenant DeLacure responded to the area. Officer Wolff deployed K-9 Chaos and began to track the route the individuals walked. After nearly a mile, the officers could see a light moving in an area of thick vegetation. The officers contacted two individuals who were actively digging for artifacts. A search revealed several small hand tools and other various items. The officers escorted the individuals off the property where they were met by Officer Pettifer and Officer Beckman. During a search, one individual was found in possession of drug paraphernalia. Officer Pettifer arrested the two subjects for felony artifact removal, present on SFWMD lands after nightfall, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The officers transported the individuals to the Hillsborough County Jail where they were booked. The tools and other items were seized as evidence. The following morning, Officer Wolff, K-9 Chaos, Lieutenant DeLacure and Investigator Hough returned to the area to search for other possible evidence. The officers discovered more digging tools and several unearthed artifacts. The tools and artifacts were seized as evidence.

 

Officers Beckman and Pettifer were on patrol within Hillsborough River State Park. The state park was hosting a Halloween event which drew a large patronage. During the event, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle for a faulty equipment violation. An odor of marijuana was detected from within the vehicle which led the officers to investigate further. The driver told the officers that he possessed marijuana. A small amount of marijuana was recovered from the driver’s pants pocket. A smoking pipe containing marijuana was discovered within the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect received a notice to appear for possession of marijuana less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. The narcotics and paraphernalia were seized as evidence.

 

LEE COUNTY

 

Officer Collazo was patrolling the North CREW Marsh with the Kawasaki UTV. He was headed back south of the Caracara Preserve towards the CREW Shop when he observed two subjects dressed in camouflage clothing with rifles, walking towards the SFWMD gate behind the CREW office. He quickly approached the male and female subjects and retrieved their firearms. He read them their Miranda warning from prepared text, and asked them what they were doing in the property. They stated that they always hunt here and usually come at night time. Officer Collazo quickly realized that these were the two subjects who were captured by the game cameras several months ago. They stated that they were hunting birds, rabbits or hogs. One of the firearms was a .22-caliber rifle and the other a 12-gauge shotgun with bird shot loaded inside the magazine. The male subject was also armed with a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol. The male was wearing a camouflage backpack and had a sleeping bag, large hunting knife, toilet paper, food, water and more ammunition inside the backpack. Both subjects filled out sworn written statements with what their intentions were inside the property, and also gave information on other subjects and areas where they hunt in Lee and Charlotte counties. The subjects parked their vehicle at gate 6 off Corkscrew Road. Officer Collazo issued both subjects citations for the violations. Officer Collazo apprehended them before they began hunting since no injured or dead game animals were located.

 

PASCO COUNTY

 

Officers Beckman and Pettifer were conducting boating safety inspections at Nick’s Park Boat Ramp. A vessel stop was performed on a vessel at the boat ramp due to no navigational lights present or working. During the vessel stop, the officers discovered evidence of fishing. A subsequent fisheries inspection revealed an undersized red drum on the vessel. The suspect was read his Miranda warning, and he eventually took responsibility for the fish. The suspect was charged with possession of undersized red drum, and the fish was seized as evidence.

 

Officer Williams was contacted by a landowner about individuals trespassing on his property. When Officer Williams arrived on scene, he found the landowner and three hunters standing under a tree on the landowner’s property. Two of the hunters were in possession of bows and arrows and one individual was only observing. The landowner told Officer Williams he wanted to press charges. The individuals were arrested and taken to the Pasco County Detention Center. Officer Williams seized the bows as evidence.

 

PINELLAS COUNTY

 

While on land patrol near Safety Harbor, Officer Phillippi and Lieutenant Van Trees watched from a concealed location as a group of fishermen cast netted from a bridge into the water below. The officers had checked the area earlier in the day and knew there were a large amount of snook feeding in the area. A subsequent resource inspection revealed that one of the subjects had cast netted two undersized snook. The subject was cited accordingly.

 

While on water patrol near Tarpon Key, Officers Bibeau and Godfrey stopped a vessel to conduct a boating safety fisheries inspection. At the conclusion of the inspection, Officer Bibeau located a 16-inch gag grouper. One of the individuals on board the vessel admitted to catching the undersized gag grouper and was issued a misdemeanor citation for the violation.

 

POLK COUNTY

 

Officer Alvis was patrolling Southwest Florida Water Management District property south of Lake Hancock. He observed two subjects actively fishing with cast nets near a water control structure. He made contact and conducted a resource inspection. During the inspection, he determined the subjects were commercial fishing from district lands. Both subjects were subsequently issued citations for commercial fishing on district lands without a permit.

 

Lieutenant Futch was patrolling the Saddle Creek Fish Management Area when he observed a subject actively fishing with a cast net. Lieutenant Futch made contact with the subject and determined he was not in possession of a valid fishing license. The subject was issued citations for both of the violations.

 

Officers Adams and Infante responded to a call regarding a subject who had taken two doe deer while archery hunting on Arbuckle WMA. The bag limit for deer on Arbuckle WMA is one per day. The subject was issued a notice to appear.

 

Offices Adams and Infante received a complaint about two separate individuals that had taken illegal deer on Avon Park Air Force Range WMA. When Officers Adams and Infante arrived, they found the subjects that had shot short-horned bucks that did not meet the state regulations. Both subjects were issued appropriate paperwork and the deer were seized as evidence.

 

Lieutenant Brooks received a complaint about two subjects who had taken turkey during the closed season on Avon Park Air Force Range WMA. Both subjects admitted to taking the turkeys thinking turkey season was open. Both subjects were issued the appropriate paperwork, and the turkeys were seized as evidence.

 

RESCUES

 

HIGHLANDS COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Futch and Officer Smith responded to a search and rescue on Lake June. The officers received information that a man and woman went kayaking, and family members had been unable to contact them for several hours. The officers were on the lake searching when they received information from the Highland County Sheriff’s Office that the two had safely swam to shore. A sheriff’s deputy located the two and brought them back to the boat ramp where family was waiting. The subjects related that the kayak rolled over, took on water and sank. Fortunately, as the vessel sank, a single life jacket floated to the surface. Both victims were able to hold onto the life jacket and swim to shore. They stated they could not have survived the incident if it would not have been for the life jacket.

 

PINELLAS COUNTY

 

The FWC received a call regarding a missing boater in the area north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The victim and his fiancé were recreational cruising in a rental vessel in the area of Courtney Campbell Boat Ramp when they ran aground. In an attempt to free the vessel, the victim got out and began to push it off the sandbar. While pushing the vessel, he stepped in deeper water and called out for help. He was overcome by the water and was not seen again after going under. Numerous agencies assisted in the search, and the next morning the victim’s body was located. This incident is being handled as a boating accident and Investigator Delarosa is the lead investigator.

 

DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS

 

Officers Wilkenson and Collazo participated in a targeted morning enforcement of the Panther Speed Zone. Between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., more than 22 vehicles were stopped, 42 individuals were contacted, 16 citations and 9 warnings were issued for violations. The fastest recorded speed was 85 MPH in a 45-MPH Construction Zone while workers were present, within the Panther Zone. Officer Collazo also witnessed a hit and run while on a traffic stop, both vehicles fled the scene.

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

 

POLK COUNTY

 

Officers Tyer and Young attended the Lakeland Police Department’s 12th Annual Open House. The event featured demonstrations, children's activities, and tours of the police headquarters. The officers were able to answer questions from the public and provided information concerning wildlife and their habitat.

 

 

SOUTH A REGION

 

CASES

 

BROWARD COUNTY

 

Officers Gamage and Matthews were dispatched to the Sewell Spillway in Plantation in reference to a call of someone taking an undersized snook. The officers arrived and conducted marine fisheries inspections on several individuals who were fishing. Officer Gamage issued one individual a criminal notice to appear (citation) for possession of undersized snook.

 

Captive Wildlife Investigator Corteguera conducted an unannounced inspection regarding a complaint he received advising that a subject was in possession of a ring-tailed lemur at an unpermitted facility. The inspection revealed the subject did have a license for the lemur, but not at the location where the animal was housed. Captive wildlife licenses are only valid for the location on the license, and the subject had already received a warning for this same violation. One citation was issued for possessing the lemur at an unpermitted facility, and one warning was issued for a caging violation. The subject is in the process of updating his license to the current location and correcting the caging deficiency.

 

Captive Wildlife Investigator Corteguera conducted an unannounced inspection of a captive wildlife facility. During the inspection, one subject was found to be in possession of a venomous cotton mouth snake without a license, and did not reveal the possession of the snake until it was discovered by Investigator Corteguera. The snake was housed in substandard caging and the required bite protocol for venomous reptiles was not available for inspection. Proper records of acquisition were not on file for this snake nor for a reticulated python, a conditional species. Further investigation revealed he illegally removed four snakes from a wildlife management area. Twelve misdemeanor citations were issued for the illegal possession of the snakes and other violations relating to the illegal possession. A release of ownership was signed for the cotton mouth and it was properly relocated. Officers Defeo, Seldomridge and Investigator Warne assisted.

 

MARTIN COUNTY

 

Officer Carroll conducted a vessel stop at the Stuart Causeway to do a fisheries inspection. There were three individuals on board with three undersized mutton snapper and three puffer fish. Officer Carroll issued the three subjects each a warning for being in possession of undersized mutton snapper, and a warning for being in possession of puffer fish. One subject had a felony warrant out of Palm Beach County. Officer Carroll placed the subject under arrest and transported him to the Martin County Jail.

 

PALM BEACH COUNTY

 

Officer Church responded to a call from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office about a stolen vehicle being operated in the Corbett WMA. He observed the vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed in the Corbett WMA. Officer Church attempted to stop the vehicle with his emergency lights and siren activated, but the vehicle continued until the subject ran off of the road and got stuck in the mud. Officer Church then placed the subject under arrest and he was booked into jail on multiple charges.

 

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

 

Officer Fretwell was conducting fisheries inspections in the area of the Black Pearl Catwalk. He was approximately half way down the catwalk when he noticed an individual at the end putting something small into a bag and rearranging the area where he was keeping his fishing gear. As he approached the man and asked him if he had caught any fish, he stated that he had caught two sheepshead. After inspecting the fish, they were determined to be of legal size. He then asked to look in the bag and cooler that were also at the location. The subject assented and showed Officer Fretwell the cooler interior and began to pull items out of the bag. Removing most of the contents from the bag, he stopped short at a tee-shirt and a pair of work gloves. Officer Fretwell then asked to take a look at the rest of the contents. Upon inspection of the shirt and gloves, three undersized mangrove snappers were observed. The subject was cited for the violation.

 

Officer Fretwell was conducting fisheries inspections in the area of the Black Pearl Catwalk when he observed a vessel coming into the area of the boat ramp at a high rate of speed. The area is posted as idle speed year round. Officer Fretwell walked over to the vessel and asked the two individuals onboard if they had any luck fishing. They stated that they had and that the fish were in the buckets on the boat. Officer Fretwell asked to look at the fish and they assented. Boarding the vessel, he observed two buckets containing fish. The majority of the fish were undersized mutton snapper. The two buckets were moved to the fish cleaning table for further investigation. Eight undersized mutton snapper were located. The subjects did not have a measuring device and thought the legal fish size was 12 inches. A prior violation history check on both subjects revealed multiple warnings for the same type of violation. Both subjects were cited for the violations.

 

RESCUES

 

PALM BEACH COUNTY

 

Officer Godward was driving in an unmarked vehicle when he noticed an unconscious man lying on the sidewalk of the Southern Blvd Bridge. He approached the subject simultaneously with the town of Palm Beach Police Department. The subject was unresponsive to voice and touch. After a few minutes the subject became conscious and immediately became verbally combative. He was slurring his speech and shouting profanities. EMS and Fire rescue arrived on scene. After getting a translator and spending over 15 minutes with the subject, he was transported to the Good Samaritan Hospital for a psychological examination.

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

 

MARTIN COUNTY

 

Officer Morrow conducted a meet and greet at Hero Day at the Jensen Beach Elementary School. Students were given the opportunity to learn about FWC’s mission and what they can do to promote conservation.

 

 

SOUTH B REGION

 

CASES

 

MONROE COUNTY

 

Officers Rubenstein and Mason were conducting resource inspections at the 33^rd Street boat ramp in Marathon. The officers initiated a check of the vessel that was pulling up to the boat ramp and asked the operator if they had any luck. The captain said that he had caught fish and he stated he caught two mutton snapper and had them in his cooler. The officers inspected the cooler and found both mutton snappers were undersized and, upon further inspection of the vessel, the individual was in possession of a live Queen conch. The individual was educated and cited accordingly.

 

While on land patrol in the middle Keys, Officers Mobley and Wagner were conducting resource inspections on fishermen on one of the busy bridges. Officer Mobley asked one of the fishermen on the bridge returning to their vehicle if she could inspect his cooler. The inspection revealed nine undersized mutton snapper. The individual was issued a criminal citation for the undersized mutton snapper.

 

Officers Sapp and Foell were conducting fisheries inspections near the Seven Mile Bridge when they observed three individuals loading fishing gear into their van. The officers made contact with the individuals who stated they had been fishing all night and only caught a few grunts. The individuals gave consent to look in their coolers. The inspection revealed undersized mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, and spiny lobster. The subjects were read Miranda, questioned, and cited accordingly.

 

Officer Plussa and Investigator Cox were patrolling Key West when they received a phone call from a probation officer regarding a suspect they had been seeking on an active arrest warrant for derelict vessels. They located and spoke with the suspect. The address the suspect had been reporting to probation did not correspond with the address contained on his vessel registration. Due to his evasion, they had not been able to locate him in months. They arrested him on the derelict vessel warrant and on the new criminal law violation of not changing the address on his registration. His probation status was violated due to his new arrest. Officers Plussa and Cox booked him into the Key West jail on a combined $10,500 bond ordered by the judge for the repeat offender.

 

RESCUES

 

MONROE COUNTY

 

While on water patrol in the lower keys, Officers Mobley and Wagner received a call of a distressed kayaker in the area of Bahia Honda. The kayaker was attempting to make it back to land and could not fight the current and chop in Bahia Honda Channel and was forced to land on a small island. The officers responded and brought the individual back to shore safely.

 

 

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