FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Reports for July 7-13

July 7 through July 13, 2023

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

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View previous editions.

CASES

Duval County

• Officer Waychoff was on water patrol in the Sister’s Creek area when he stopped a vessel for a wake zone violation. While addressing the violation with the operator, he noticed signs of impairment. The operator participated in standardized field sobriety tasks. Based on Officer Waychoff’s observations, the operator was arrested for boating under the influence.  

Suwannee County

• Senior Officer Davenport received a call about a vessel accident on the Santa Fe River downstream from the Ichetucknee River. Senior Lieutenant Kiss, Senior Officers Yates, Johnston, and Bryan located the vessel approximately 20 yards in the woods. The six passengers of the vessel were checked by Columbia County Fire Rescue. It was determined the 20-foot center console vessel hit an oncoming vessel’s wake and the operator lost control of the vessel. The vessel made a hard left turn ejecting one passenger and another passenger jumped from the vessel. The vessel’s starboard side struck a cypress tree and exited the water up the riverbank and into the woods. The vessel accident investigation is still ongoing. 

Taylor County

• Lieutenant Loyed and Officers Burnsed and Edwards were on water patrol at the mouth of Steinhatchee River when they stopped a vessel for a safety inspection. The vessel’s operator could not produce life jackets for all the passengers.  During the stop, officers detected signs of impairment. The operator participated in standardized field sobriety tasks.  Based on the officer’s observations, the operator was placed under arrest for boating under the influence. 

Union County

• Officer Specialist Starling and Officer Waychoff received information about an individual seen with a dead alligator. The subject was located and interviewed and admitted to being in possession of the alligator but stated a friend had killed it. During the investigation, the officers found that an alligator had previously been reported to the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program at the same location. They located the subject suspected of killing the alligator and he admitted to shooting it in a pond located behind their residence.  Both individuals were charged for the violations.

CASES

Brevard County

• During the federal two-day red snapper season, offshore patrol vessels ran several long-range patrols to ensure compliance with season regulations. As a result of the patrols, the following cases were made: seven federal citations issued to a vessel that began fishing and was in possession of six red snapper before the official start of the season; two federal citations for possession of four red drum in federal waters; one federal citation for an unlicensed charter operating without proper federal fishing permits. 
• Officer Specialists Balgo and Johnson, and Officer Hedgepeth were patrolling near Port Canaveral when they observed a vessel come from offshore. A resource inspection revealed the vessel to be in possession of over the bag limit of golden tilefish. The inspection was documented and shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Officer Specialist Balgo observed a suspicious vehicle parked near State Road 401 and State Road 528. He located foot sign through the mangroves and observed several individuals working the shoreline with cast nets. Lieutenants Cybula and Lee assisted Officer Balgo with surveillance and conducted a resource inspection on the individuals once they returned to their vehicle. A large cooler and two bags of fish were located. Violations included possession of snook out of season, possession of oversized snook, illegal method of take of snook, possession of undersized permit, possession of undersized sheepshead, and several license violations. The individuals were cited accordingly.
• Officer Snyder was conducting resource inspections at Freddie Patrick Boat Ramp on vessels returning during red snapper season. A vessel with two persons onboard was found to have four red snapper from federal waters, double the federal bag limit. They were cited accordingly.
• While on patrol of T.M. Goodwin Public Small Game Hunting Area, Lieutenant Lightsey observed a van traveling in an area closed to motor vehicles. He met with the occupant to address the violation. It was determined the subject had entered by trespassing from an adjacent property. Additionally, the subject was found to be in possession of several gamefish (bluegill and crappie) taken by cast net, which is an illegal method. The subject also did not have a valid nonresident fishing license. Citations and warnings were issued for the offenses.
• During red snapper season FWC Officers Delano, St. Martin and Hopkins, along with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Officer Carrodeguas were on water patrol near Sebastian Inlet when they observed a recreational fishing vessel with bottom fishing gear returning from offshore. The officers stopped the vessel to conduct a resource inspection. The inspection concluded the captain and crew of the vessel caught over their legal bag limit of one red snapper per person, per day. The captain and crew were cited accordingly.
• Officer Specialist Marroquin was docking his vessel at a local marina when he noticed another vessel operator enter the marina. The operator was having extreme difficulty docking his vessel and was exhibiting signs of impairment. Officer Marroquin approached the vessel operator after he was finally able to dock his vessel and immediately picked up on further indicators of impairment. The operator performed very poorly during standardized field sobriety tasks and was subsequently arrested. The operator later gave a sample of his breath that showed his blood alcohol concentration was over the legal limit. The subject was transported to the Brevard County Jail and cited accordingly. 

Orange County

• Officers Easterbrook and White were on patrol when they received a call about someone selling saltwater products out of a van in a business parking lot. The officers located the van and contacted the owner. The subject was offering for sale freshly caught shrimp from the coast without the proper licensing. The officers conducted an inspection inside the van and located several coolers of freshly caught shrimp, scales, bags, etc. The subject was subsequently charged with selling saltwater products without a Saltwater Products License. 

Volusia County

• Officer Specialist Bertolami was on patrol in Daytona Beach during the early morning hours when he observed a subject fishing from the main street bridge. He observed the subject catch a snook and not return the fish to the water. Officer Bertolami contacted the subject when he attempted to leave the area. It was determined the subject was in possession of two snook that were undersized and caught out of season. The subject stated the fish were given to him by another angler that was no longer there. Officer Bertolami advised he witnessed the subject catch one of the snook. The subject ultimately admitted to harvesting the two snook and Officer Bertolami addressed the violations. 
• Officer Stoker was on vessel patrol with multiple Port Orange Police Department officers while the police department was working on an operation to address trespassing issues and littering on the spoil islands within their jurisdiction. Officer Stoker was supporting their efforts with an FWC patrol vessel because the police department does not currently have one. A subject who had previously been issued a trespass warning from POPD was fishing off one of the islands. A tent and fishing gear was stowed behind the subject on the island. The subject refused to comply with the officers’ lawful commands but eventually was taken into custody. Officer Stoker addressed the resisting without violence charge and POPD addressed the original trespassing charge for the defendant. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Orange County

• Officer Specialists Weber (Public Information Officer), Maslo, and Demeter and Officer Drake attended ICAST, the world's largest sportfishing tradeshow, which was held in Orlando. The officers interacted with hundreds of constituents during the event and answered many questions about the work FWC officers perform.

Volusia County

• Officer Specialist Fletcher spoke with a group of about 40 homeowners in a local subdivision in reference to bears being seen in and around the neighborhood. Officer Fletcher provided living with bears educational material and advised what measures to take to avoid human-wildlife conflict.

CASES

Charlotte County

• Officer Blyar observed a vessel with multiple fishing rods coming into the Gasparilla Pass from offshore. He stopped the vessel, which had four people onboard including the operator, and conducted a fisheries inspection. The officer discovered an undersized, out-of-season greater amberjack and nine red snapper. The operator was cited for with over the bag limit of red snapper and issued a warning for being in possession of and out-of-season greater amberjack and another warning for being in possession of undersized greater amberjack. 
• Officer Blyar was on patrol when he received a call that two subjects were catching snook from a dock in Gasparilla Pass and burying them in the sand. Officer Blyar located the two subjects and while performing a fisheries inspection, he located 12 snook that were under the legal size limit. Both subjects were charged with major violations of keeping more than three snook.  

Hernando County

• Officer Little was patrolling freshwater lakes and saw a subject swimming in Bystre Lake and then hold up a speargun. Officer Little observed the subject spear several freshwater gamefish. Officer Little identified himself and issued the subject the appropriate charges. 

Manatee County

• Officer Davidson was on patrol conducting boating safety checks when he noticed one of the occupants was attempting to hide a can of alcoholic beverages behind his leg. After questioning, he discovered nobody on the vessel was 21 years old or older and also found eight other cans of alcoholic beverages. One of the individuals admitted he had brought the alcohol on the vessel. He was issued a citation for possession of alcoholic beverages under age 21.
• Officer Wesche was on patrol in near the Skyway Relief Bridge when he spotted an individual fishing. The officer conducted a resource inspection and found the individual was collecting out of season and undersized stone crab claws. The individual was issued a notice to appear in Manatee County Court for the violations. 

CASES 

Broward County

• Officer Lopez and Lieutenant Laubenberger were on patrol and observed a vehicle in an area closed to public access and two individuals fishing nearby. The officers conducted a freshwater fishery inspection on the individuals.  Pursuant to the inspection, one individual was issued a citation for no freshwater fishing license and a notice to appear for possession of over the limit of oversize black bass. 
• Officers Walcott and Constance were on patrol on Alligator Alley and observed an individual fishing at a boat ramp recreation area. They conducted a freshwater fishery inspection on the individual. Pursuant to the inspection, the individual was issued a notice to appear for possession of over the bag limit of peacock bass. 

Glades County

• Officer Ciprich was on patrol during the early morning hours when he observed a vehicle parked on the side of a road. When he went to investigate, he observed lights being displayed from a pasture on private property and four people and three hunting dogs making their way back to the vehicle. Officer Ciprich learned the group did not have permission to be on or hunt that property. The group stated they followed a wild hog from the roadway and went over a fence onto the private property. The four subjects were all issued a notice to appear for trespassing. 

Martin County

• Officer Cernuto was on water patrol near the Stuart Causeway when she observed a vessel violating the posted slow speed zone under the bridge. Officer Cernuto stopped the vessel to address the violation and noticed the operator displayed numerous signs of impairment. After performing poorly on seated standardized field sobriety tasks, the operator was placed under arrest for suspicion of boating under the influence. The operator was transported to the Martin County Jail and charged with boating while normal facilities impaired, refusal to submit a breath sample and issued a citation for the violation of the slow speed zone. 
• While on water patrol four miles offshore the St. Lucie Inlet, Officers Landers and Cernuto stopped a vessel to perform a fisheries inspection. Onboard Officer Landers found three of the five red porgy were undersized and discovered an undersized scamp grouper. The subjects were issued misdemeanor citations for over the bag limit of red porgy and undersized red porgy and scamp grouper. 
• Officers Whitty and Cernuto and Lieutenant Kirkland were on state water patrol in the Intracoastal Waterway south of Peck’s Lake when they observed a boat speeding through one of the slow speed blind mangrove cuts. The officers conducted a vessel stop to address the violation and saw multiple alcoholic beverages onboard. The operator and the single occupant were under 21 years of age and admitted to drinking.  Officer Cernuto detected numerous indicators of impairment on the operator and after performing poorly on seated standardized field sobriety tasks, he was placed under arrest for suspicion of boating under the influence. The operator was transported to the Martin County Jail and charged with operating a vessel while normal faculties impaired, possession of alcohol under 21 years of age, refusal to submit a breath sample and issued a citation for violation of the manatee zone. The underage passenger was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of alcohol under 21 years of age. 

Okeechobee County

• Officers were on patrol at Nubbin Slough when they observed a subject hook a bass to the end of a rope with a large hook and begin to throw it at an alligator. The officers noticed the subject had a pistol in a bag around his chest. The officers contacted the subject, who admitted to attempting to catch the alligator. The subject was also a convicted felon and was not allowed to possess a firearm. The subject was arrested for possessing a firearm as a felon, using a bass as bait, and attempting to take an alligator out of season without tags. 
• An officer was on patrol in Taylor Creek when he observed a vessel with improper display of registration. The officer discovered a derelict vessel that was not registered and another vessel with several registration issues as well. The subjects received a notice to appear for storing a derelict vessel on the waters of the state and operating an unregistered vessel and was issued several boating citations and warnings for boating safety equipment and vessel registration issues.  
• An officer was on patrol at the Nubbin Slough structure checking fishing licenses when he observed a vehicle pull into the parking lot and immediately turn around after seeing the officer. The officer identified the subject as someone he arrested earlier in the week. The subject has no valid driver’s license and has seven prior convictions for driving while license suspended. The vehicles tag was registered to a deceased person and was 38 months expired. The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and booked the subject into the Okeechobee County jail.

Palm Beach County

• After a multiregional covert investigation spanning several months, South Region A investigators along with assistance from the Special Operations Group team and patrol units successfully concluded Operation Freezer Farm. Two individuals were arrested on a combined seven felonies and 52 misdemeanor charges in St Lucie County. Charges range from illegal taking/harvest/possession of deer, alligator, and tarpon to name a few. The arrests are a victory in the ongoing fight against wildlife violations and send a strong message that those involved in such criminal activities will be punished. The case is open and awaiting the judicial process.

MAJOR WILDLIFE ASSISTANCE

Broward County

• Officer Constance responded to a call a hatchling regarding a sea turtle in distress. He met individuals on Ft. Lauderdale beach who led him to a hatchling sea turtle that seemed to have an injury.  The officer transported the hatchling successfully to a sea turtle patrol located close to him on the beach.

CASES

Miami-Dade County

• Officers Stearns, Conroy and Creel were heading west on U.S. 41 when Officer Conroy observed a subject walking along the tree line by the entrance of Trail Glades Shooting Range. The officer noticed a bird in the cage. The bird was used to illegally lure buntings into the cage. An investigation revealed the subject had another trap in the woods and one in his car. With consent to search, the officers located two small bags of a white powder-like substance, which tested positive for cocaine. The subject was charged and arrested for the illegal traps and for the possession of a controlled substance. Officers Hayden, Saavedra, Smith, Adler, and Tuckfield responded to assist with the evidence, arrest, and transport of the subject.
• Officers Saavedra and Gutierrez responded to the Homestead area in reference to a bear sighting. Officers worked with the FWC bear biologist and Homestead Police Department in locating, trapping and safely relocating the bear.
• Officer Reynaud responded to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in reference to a park ranger stating a man with two children at the harbor were diving and catching lobster. The officer found the subject possessed three lobsters, which he attempted to conceal. The subject was cited for possessing lobster out of season and undersize lobster.

Monroe County

• Officers Esilva and Allen were on patrol and witnessed two individuals in a boat at anchor just outside of Sugarloaf Marina and another individual diving in the water adjacent to the vessel with no dive flag displayed. The officers observed one of the individuals cutting up a nurse shark and throwing the fins in the water. The officers made contact to conduct a resource inspection. When asked about the shark and fins in the water, the subject stated they did not catch a shark; the fins were already there when they arrived. The officers discovered a shark carcass wrapped in a towel and covered by personal flotation devices in the stern of the vessel. The individual who was cutting up the shark admitted to that as well as the harvest of undersized red grouper and undersized mutton snapper. The individual was arrested for the violations and transported to Stock Island Jail. One of the other individuals on the vessel was cited for three undersized yellowtail snapper and two schoolmaster snapper not in whole condition.  
• Officer Turner initiated a resource inspection on two individuals walking off White Street Pier. The inspection revealed neither subject had a valid fishing license and were in possession of 18 gray snapper with 11 being undersized. The individuals could not identify how many they had individually caught and were using the same cooler to hold all the fish. Both individuals were arrested for undersized and over the bag limit gray snapper and were transported to Stock Island Jail.
• Investigator Chris Mattson was on unmarked water patrol near Cannon Patch reef in John Pennekamp State Park and observed a subject free diving in the area with no dive flag. A resource inspection revealed the man had speared numerous species of fish. He admitted to spearing all the fish onboard the vessel and was in possession of undersized black grouper, over-the-limit black grouper and a spear gun.  Further search of the vessel revealed an undersized hogfish that had been speared and hidden in the stern area. The subject was arrested for interference with FWC officer, undersize black grouper, undersize hogfish, over the bag limit black grouper and possession of a speargun inside the state park. The officers helped provide transport to Plantation Key Jail. 
• Officers Turner and Ross were on patrol in a marked patrol vehicle and observed three individuals at Tom’s Harbor Cut bridge, two of whom were fishing from the bridge.  The subjects told the officers they had caught a couple of mangrove snapper. A resource inspection revealed a cooler contained two mangrove snapper and nine schoolmaster snapper. One of the mangrove snapper and all the schoolmaster snapper were undersized. The subject was issued an appropriate citation and warnings.