FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Reports: March 15-21

March 15, 2024 through March 21, 2024

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

Bay County

• Senior Officers D. Brady and N. Basford conducted a resource and boating safety inspection on a fishing vessel that came through the pass into St. Andrews Bay. The inspection revealed an undersized red grouper and gray triggerfish. In addition, the captain was missing his registration information and a type IV throwable device. The captain was issued a citation for possession of an undersized red grouper. He was given a warning for the undersized triggerfish and boating safety violations. 

Franklin County

• Officer Sizemore conducted a resource inspection on a vessel with four individuals coming into the boat ramp on St. George Island. The officer located three undersized black drum and two undersized redfish. Officer Sizemore issued citations accordingly.

Holmes County

• While on patrol, Senior Officer M. Homan conducted a hunting check on private property where he found bait. He encountered three subjects hunting wild turkey within 100 yards of the bait. A license check revealed the individuals did not have their current licenses/permits. The appropriate citations were issued. 
• Senior Officer E. Fowler and Officer J. Touchton were patrolling two bait sites on private property. The officers observed individuals hunt wild turkey within 100 yards of the bait. The appropriate citations were issued.  

Okaloosa County

• Officer Senst and Officer Valdez responded to a call regarding an individual shooting a wild turkey from a roadway within Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. After a lengthy investigation, the subject was located at his residence and an interview was conducted. The subject admitted to shooting the wild turkey from his vehicle with a shotgun. The subject was charged accordingly. 

Santa Rosa County

• Officer Brown observed two individuals fishing at a local boat ramp and conducted a resource inspection. He observed an undersized striped bass on a cooler being used for bait and two undersized spotted seatrout and an undersized redfish. The individual was cited appropriately. 
• Officer Brown observed multiple individuals fishing at a local boat ramp who dropped their fishing rods when they observed his patrol truck. Officer Brown contacted the individuals and found none of them had fishing licenses. He then asked the subjects if they had any fish and they said they did not catch anything. Upon further investigation, Officer Brown located two undersized redfish in the subject’s cooler. One of the subjects admitted to catching and keeping both fish. The individual was cited appropriately. 

Walton County

• Several officers were working an ongoing targeted enforcement action with a focus on illegal turkey hunting on public and private lands. Officer R. Brooks discovered a potential bait site with cracked corn and bird seed present. This site was also on a large privately owned tract of posted property where no one had landowner permission to hunt wild turkeys. On the opening morning of the spring wild turkey hunting season, Officers Tison and Letcher heard someone imitating a hen call near the bait site. They contacted a subject turkey hunting over bait. Further investigation revealed the subject had knowingly trespassed onto the property and had set up a cellular camera as counter surveillance on a road to prevent being caught by law enforcement. The individual was arrested for armed trespassing and was cited for hunting wild turkeys within 100 yards of a game feeding station and cited for no turkey permit. 

Washington County

• Lieutenant W. Walsingham was patrolling a wild turkey bait site on private property that he had located earlier. Two individuals were observed hunting within 100 yards of the bait. The appropriate citations were issued. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Holmes County

• Senior Officer E. Fowler and Officer J. Touchton attended the West Pittman Creek Church Wild Game Dinner. There were approximately 300 people in attendance and the officers were able to answer numerous questions related to chronic waste disease (CWD) and other wildlife related issues.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Gulf County

• Master Officer M. Webb and Lieutenant Guy responded to a search and rescue on St. Joe Bay involving two individuals on kayaks.  Strong winds and seas had swept the two out, and they were unable to make their way back. The officers located the individuals and brought them on board the patrol vessel, including their watercraft. The individuals were unharmed from the experience and didn’t need medical attention.  

CASES

Columbia County

• Senior Officers Bryan and Johnston were working a wild turkey bait site on the opening morning of the spring turkey season. They observed a utility task vehicle arrive and two subjects exited the UTV and went to separate hunting blinds and bait sites. After the sun came up, the officers contacted the two subjects who were hunting within 100 yards of bait. The officers issued citations for hunting wild turkeys over bait, no hunting licenses, and no turkey permits. 

Gilchrist County

• On the opening day of the spring turkey season, Officer Specialists Troiano and Hilliard located a subject hunting turkey within approximately 10 yards of a baited area. The subject was issued a citation for hunting wild turkey within 100 yards of bait. 
• On the opening day of spring turkey season, Officer Specialists Troiano, and Hilliard along with Lieutenant Ward located a subject hunting turkey within approximately 25 yards of bait. The officers heard the subject shoot once, killing a gobbler and a hen turkey. It is unlawful to hunt wild turkey within 100 yards of bait and it’s unlawful to take hen during the spring turkey season. It was also discovered the subject placed bait in a wildlife management area. The subject was issued a citation for the three violations.
• On the opening weekend of spring turkey season, Officer Specialists Troiano and Sheffield located a subject hunting turkey within approximately 30 yards of bait. It is unlawful to hunt wild turkey within 100 yards of bait. The subject was issued a citation. 

Lafayette County

• Officer Clark and Investigator McMillian were working on a property known to be baited for wild turkey hunting. The officers located three individuals attempting to take wild turkey over a baited area. Appropriate citations were issued for the violations. 
• Officer Clark was working on a property that had a feeder and a ground blind near the feeding station. The officer observed an individual just before daylight put out a hen decoy and enter the blind. Contact was made and the subject was issued the appropriate citations for the violation. 

Madison County

• Officer Vazquez was on patrol at a property believed to be baited for hunting wild turkey. During his patrol, the officer witnessed two subjects hunting within 100 yards of bait. Contact was made and appropriate citations were issued for the violations.

CASES

Brevard County

• Officer Specialist Marroquin and Officer Rivard were on federal fisheries patrol outside Sebastian Inlet and conducted a resource inspection on a fishing vessel. The officers asked the captain and crew if they had caught anything, and they said no. Officer Rivard’s inspection revealed a bag of snapper fillets hidden in a cooler. The subjects filleted their catch offshore, which is a violation of Florida law, and were cited accordingly. 

Flagler County

• Officer Specialist Bernard was on land patrol when he encountered two subjects hunting wild turkey from a blind at a hunt club. During the inspection, the officer located bait within 100 yards of the blind. The hunters admitted to knowing the bait was there and both received citations for hunting wild turkeys within 100 yards of bait.

Lake County

• Senior Officer Phillips and Lieutenant Rice patrolled private property during the opening morning of spring turkey season. They observed two turkey decoys in a field where they had previously located a bait site. A subject carrying a shotgun exited the wood line where they had a blind set up while a second subject with a shotgun remained in the blind. The officers located whole corn scattered on the ground approximately 25 yards from the blind where the subjects were sitting. Both subjects admitted to hunting turkeys and were issued notice to appear citations for attempting to take wild turkeys within 100 yards of bait.
• During the opening morning of spring turkey season, Officer Specialist Scrambling and Officer Stanford patrolled private property where they had previously located a bait site. They observed a turkey decoy and a hunting blind and heard a turkey call being used from the blind. They contacted the subject in the blind who admitted they were attempting to hunt turkeys. The officers located corn scattered on the ground with the closest bait being approximately one foot away from the blind. The subject admitted to placing the bait out earlier that morning. The subject was issued a notice to appear citation for attempting to take wild turkeys within 100 yards of bait.

Orange County

• Lieutenant Riley observed an individual illegally operating a motorcycle on St. Johns River Water Management District property. At first the individual tried laying the bike down in the woods to hide from Lieutenant Riley. The lieutenant waited until the individual came out from the woods. The subject was cited accordingly.

Osceola County

• While on patrol, Officer Osborn observed an individual on the roadway shoot from their vehicle, taking a wild turkey on the adjoining private land. The officer addressed the violation accordingly.
• While on patrol, Officer Osborn observed two individuals jump the fence of Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area after illegally entering a couple hours prior to scout for wild turkeys. The violations were addressed accordingly.

Putnam County

• Senior Officer Campbell along with Officers Hayden and Dodd were working land patrol when they encountered a turkey hunter sitting in a blind on St. Johns River Water Management District property. They walked the area around the blind and quickly noticed there was bait spread everywhere within 50 yards of the blind. During the inspection, the hunter said that he was on a guided hunt. The officers had him call the guide to come back and pick him up. Once the guide got there, they asked if he knew that his client was hunting on St. Johns River Water Management District property. He admitted that he did. The subject was cited for hunting turkey over bait and the guide was cited for unauthorized use of water management property and introducing grain/seed on water management property.
• Officers worked throughout the county during the opening weekend of spring turkey season. They identified five violations for hunting wild turkey over bait and two hunting license violations. Appropriate action was taken to address the violations.

St Johns County

• Officer Specialist Lawrence and Officer Self conducted a wholesale/retail seafood inspection on a new business and found numerous violations. The owner was cited for not having a working thermometer to ensure safe temperature of the product as well as not keeping records for stone crab claws he had for sale. The officers also issued numerous warnings to the owner and educated him on requirements for his business.
• Officer Specialist Chamberlain and Officer Self were on land-based water patrol at Hershel King Boat Ramp and located an individual in possession of four undersized mangrove snapper and one undersized black drum. Officer Chamberlain cited the subject for the violation.
• Officers Specialist Chamberlain and Officer Self were on land-based water patrol around the Hammock Dunes Bridge and located a subject in possession of an undersized red drum. Officer Self issued the subject a citation for the violation.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Marion County

• Officer Specialist Weber, public information officer, and Kristen Turner, public information coordinator, conducted an outreach event for approximately 75 attendees at AMP Camp at Camp Kawanis, which is in the Ocala National Forest. AMP Camp is a camp for mobility impaired youth whose motto is “Never say Never.” The children were fascinated with the mounted wildlife in the outreach trailer. Jeff Shelton, fisheries biologist, also participated in the event and did a presentation about the species of freshwater fish found in the area. 

CASES

Highlands County

• Officer Yakel received a call about two individuals trespassing in an orange grove. When Officer Yakel arrived on scene, Highlands County deputy was present with two individuals in camouflage clothes and the land manager for the grove. One subject was arrested for armed trespass and for hunting wild turkey within 100 yards of bait. The other subject had in his possession a handgun and bait was found approximately 30 yards from the location where he was attempting to take wild turkey. The violations were appropriately addressed.

Lee County

• Officer Hardgrove was on patrol when he observed a subject leaving a fishing pier with fishing gear and a cooler. The officer contacted the subject, who showed the officer an undersized spotted seatrout. A records check revealed the subject had five prior warnings and two prior citations for resource related violations. The subject was issued a citation for the violation. 

Pinellas County

• While on land patrol, Lieutenant Bibeau conducted a fisheries inspection on two subjects returning to a boat ramp in a vessel. At the conclusion of the inspection, he located three undersized triggerfish. One of the individuals admitted to catching all three undersized triggerfish and was issued a citation for the violation and a warning for harvesting over the daily bag-limit of triggerfish. 

Sarasota County

• Officer Specialist Miller observed several individuals wading in the water next to Blackburn Pointe Bridge. After observing the individuals placing items in a bucket, a resource inspection revealed they had kept several undersized whole stone crabs. The subjects were issued a notice to appear for their violations.
• Senior Officer Hinds was conducting fishing license inspections along Lido Beach. During an inspection, Senior Officer Hinds found a subject had caught and kept an undersized permit. The subject was issued a notice to appear for the violations.

CASES

Broward County

• Lieutenant Ryan and Officer Rigali conducted patrol at the Everglades Wildlife Management Area’s newly renovated public boat ramp near I-75 and U.S. 27. They observed a vehicle doing donuts in the parking lot and conducted a traffic stop. Officer Rigali issued the driver a notice to appear for criminal mischief for the damage caused by the tires over the newly painted parking lanes. He also issued the driver a citation for driving with a suspended license and warnings for no insurance and expired registration. 
• Officer Giani conducted water patrol at Hillsboro Inlet and stopped a vessel to conduct a fisheries inspection. Giani’s inspection revealed a freshly cut fish fillet. The subject admitted the fillet was a red grouper that he harvested. Giani issued the subject notice to appear citations for possession of out-of-season red grouper and possession of red grouper not in whole condition. 
• Officers Comartin and Walcott stopped a vessel at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park to conduct a fisheries inspection. Their inspection revealed undersized mutton snapper. One vessel occupant was issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.  
• Officers Bouras and Willis conducted a resource inspection of a vessel at the Port Everglades Inlet. Their inspection revealed an undersized mutton snapper. Officer Willis issued the subject a notice to appear citation for the violation. 

Glades County

• Officers Ciprich and Dial were working an area where bait was located at the beginning of spring turkey season. The area had black sunflower seeds spread across the ground with two ground blinds located within 100 yards of the seed. The officers observed two subjects turkey hunting from one of the ground blinds. The officers contacted the subjects and found one of them has been previously charged with hunting wild turkeys over bait. The subject was issued a notice to appear for the violations. 

Hendry County

• Lieutenant Kleis was on night patrol when he observed a vehicle parked near a sugar cane field on private property. The lieutenant then observed a subject walking in the sugar cane displaying a spotlight and holding a long gun. He located two subjects who said they were rabbit hunting and discovered they did not have permission to be on the property. The landowner stated he wanted to press charges for trespassing. Both subjects were arrested and booked into the Hendry County Jail. Charges include trespass while armed with a firearm, attempting to take game with an artificial light and hunting after legal shooting hours. 

Palm Beach County

• Lieutenant Warne was contacted by a plainclothes FWC Officer who was working in the Dupuis Wildlife and Environmental Area. This officer reported observing a subject illegally crossing the fence from J.W. Corbett WMA into Dupuis WEA. The subject was wearing camouflage and carrying a shotgun and a harvested wild turkey. The plainclothes officer detained the subject for questioning by the lieutenant. The subject was issued a citation for the violation. 

St. Lucie County

• Officers Dziewiatkowski, Delaney and Levesque responded to the Fort Pierce North Bridge regarding a sailboat striking the bridge and breaking its mast. At the time of the call, it was unknown if the vessel was occupied. High winds caused the vessel’s anchor to drag and the vessel moved south until it contacted the bridge.  Upon the officer’s arrival, they observed the owner of the vessel attempting to move it from the bridge and secure it.  After that was accomplished, he was transported back to shore where he provided all needed information to complete a boating accident report. No injuries were reported.   

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Palm Beach County

• Lieutenant Warne and Officer Riggs responded to a call about a hiker on the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail who had injured their ankle and had symptoms of heat exhaustion. The individual’s GPS location was verified by the caller's cell phone. Lieutenant Warne located the hiker at the Dupuis Wildlife and Environmental Area and transported the individual to an area within the WEA where medical services were staged to treat them. 

St. Lucie County

• While on patrol offshore from Fort Pierce Inlet, Officer Irwin heard a mayday call regarding a vessel taking on water. After plotting the location given, the vessel was shown to be about 18 to 19 miles from the inlet.  Arriving on scene, Officer Irwin observed a semi submerged vessel with three individuals on board. A Good Samaritan vessel had pulled alongside the submerged vessel and provided one of the subjects with a manual dewatering pump. Once Sea tow arrived, a larger dewatering pump was activated. One passenger was transferred to the patrol boat, while the two other individuals remained on the vessel assisting sea tow. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Palm Beach County

• Officers Schroer and Spirito met with Quantum Outreach group at Dubois Park in Jupiter. The group sets up shore fishing trips for children under medical care and their families. Officers met with those involved to provide information about local resources and answer questions.

CASES

Collier County

• Officers Aliff, Goff, Yurewitch, and Montero were patrolling aboard the offshore patrol vessel Gulf Ranger during a three-day stone crab targeted enforcement action ranging from Sanibel to Everglades City. During the TEA, they inspected 35 vessels, which resulted in multiple violations. On one vessel, they located an out-of-season and undersized gag grouper. The officers also inspected a vessel in federal waters matching the description from a tip they received about a state charter vessel conducting charters in federal waters without the required federal charter permits. After the inspection, they found the tip to be accurate and the violations were documented and forwarded to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration law enforcement.
• Officer Yurewitch responded to an alligator blocking access to Vanderbilt beach in Naples. When the officer arrived, he removed an approximately five-foot alligator from the sidewalk near the access to the beach.
• Officers Yurewitch, Reams, Aliff, and Delgado were on water patrol near Marco Island when they were approached by an individual stating a subject was severely injured from a boating accident. The officers arrived on scene and recovered an injured subject and provided first aid. The officers transported the victim to a nearby fire station. The incident is under investigation. 

Monroe County

• Investigator Chris Mattson was on unmarked state water patrol around Hen and Chickens Sanctuary Preservation Area and observed a vessel leave one of the mooring buoys and begin to fish inside the closed area. The subject was written a notice to appear for fishing inside the SPA.

Investigator Chris Mattson was on patrol and responded to a call of a 57-foot cabin vessel aground on the reef at Carysfort Reef Sanctuary Preservation Area.  The vessel had been tied to a mooring buoy and broke loose and was pushed onto the reef by the wind and seas. The incoming tide allowed a tow boat to remove the vessel. Investigator Mattson cited the subject for being aground on the reef.