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June 14, 2024 through June 20, 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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 CASES
Okaloosa County
- Officer Ates received a call from Eglin Security Forces about an individual trespassing on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area after legal entry hours. Officers determined the subject had been issued numerous trespass warnings previously by military police. The subject was arrested for trespass and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Lieutenant Bartlett and Officer Oliver conducted a stop to perform a resource inspection on a vessel in Destin Pass. The operator stated they had some almaco jacks on board. When the officers inspected the catch, it was determined the individuals were in possession of four out-of-season greater amberjack. The operator of the vessel was issued a citation for the violation.
- Officers Pritchard and Senst conducted a resource inspection on a vessel in Destin Pass. During the inspection, the officers located a greater amberjack, which cannot be possessed due to the current closed season. The responsible party on board the vessel was identified and issued a citation for the violation.
Santa Rosa County
- Officers Wilkenson and Burkhead responded to a complaint of land being developed that possibly contained active gopher tortoise burrows. The officers found areas of the property had been disturbed, several pieces of heavy land clearing equipment, and an active gopher tortoise burrow. The officers located the individuals responsible for the property and its development and found they did not have the proper gopher tortoise permits in place to continue working. The officers successfully stopped the work on the property, documented the incident and referred the subjects to the FWC's gopher tortoise program.
- Lieutenant Berryman and Officer Roberson were on patrol in East Bay conducting resource inspections near the Garcon Point Bridge. They contacted two individuals fishing who said they had fish. Officer Roberson asked who caught the fish, only one individual said it was theirs. Officer Roberson inspected the fish and found four spotted seatrout, which is one over the bag limit. Officer Roberson issued a notice to appear for the violation.
- Officers Brown and Bower were on patrol when they observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico with fishing equipment. The officers conducted a resource inspection and located two undersized greater amberjack. Two of the vessel admitted to spearing the undersized amberjack and keeping them. The subjects were cited appropriately.
- Officer Brown responded to a call about multiple subjects taking oysters. The officers located the subjects matching the description and observed them exit the water with a cooler. Officer Brown conducted a resource inspection and located six whole stone crabs out of season. It is a violation to have whole stone crabs intact. One of the subjects admitted to catching and keeping all six stone crabs. Upon further inspection, the officer located 11 undersized stone crab claws. The subject was cited appropriately.
 CASES
Clay County
- Officer Nasworth received a report regarding an individual harvesting fish during a closed season. He met with the subject and informed him that gag grouper and gray triggerfish seasons were currently closed in state/federal waters. During the interview, the subject admitted to harvesting both species. Officer Nasworth will be direct filing charges with the local state attorney’s office.
Columbia County
- Senior Officers Davenport and Yates investigated an antlerless deer being taken out of season. During the investigation, the subject was found to have shot the deer with a shotgun and was found to be a convicted felon. Several misdemeanors and a felony charge for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon were filed with the Columbia County State Attorney's Office. The subject was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Dixie County
- Officer Sheffield observed a vessel return to a local boat ramp from the Gulf of Mexico on the opening day of the scallop season. During a marine resource inspection, it was determined the subjects aboard the vessel had 7 ½ gallons of scallops in their possession. The vessel limit of scallops during this phase of the season is 5 gallons. Officer Sheffield issued a citation to the vessel's captain for the violation.
- Officer Robson observed a vessel return to shore from the Gulf of Mexico with fishing equipment. Upon conducting a marine resource inspection, the subject was found to be in possession of three triggerfish. It is unlawful to possess triggerfish as the season is closed from June 1 through July 31. The subject was issued a citation for the violation.
Madison County
- Senior Officer Dusty Humphrey, Officer Specialist Vazquez, Officer Specialist Cline, and Officer Clark assisted Suwannee River State Park with people illegally camping on state property. One individual was located and it was discovered the subject was trespassing in a house nearby. The subject had previously been warned for trespass and was arrested and taken to Madison County Jail for trespass of a structure.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
- Officer Pietroburgo partnered with the Florida Forest Service for an outreach opportunity during Citrus County Parks and Recreation’s first junior naturalist camp. The four-day camp, hosted at the Citrus Wildlife Management Area, was designed to teach youth ages 13 to 17 years old about the outdoors. Topics covered during this camp included land navigation, ecosystems, species conservation, and job opportunities within the related fields. Officer Pietroburgo presented FWC’s mission and roles within conservation along with an officer’s specific duties and responsibilities.
 CASES
Brevard County
- Officer Specialist Balgo received information from an individual who harvested an out-of-season snook along the beach. The individual was seen running it back up the beach access. Officer Balgo located the subject and found him to be in possession of one out-of-season, undersized snook. Citations were issued accordingly.
Marion County
- Officer Specialist L. Dickson and Officer Lambert observed a personal watercraft approaching the dock with two occupants, one of which was not wearing a life jacket. The officers approached the operator to address the violation and perform a vessel safety inspection. More violations were discovered during the inspection. Both subjects were uncooperative and belligerent during the stop, and the operator refused to sign the uniform boating citation he was being issued. The operator was allowed to trailer his PWC while officers completed their citations. After loading his PWC on the trailer, the subject left the area despite being told he was detained and not free to leave. An arrest warrant was obtained and the subject has since been arrested for refusing to sign a UBC and resisting without violence.
Orange County
- Officer Specialist Balgo observed an individual in Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area after hours throwing a line several times to an alligator and pulling it tight when the alligator grabbed it. An inspection found the line to have a tilapia tied to it with a swivel and hook. The individual was cited accordingly.
Osceola County
- While assisting Osceola Animal Control, Officer Osborn located an individual in possession of five live gopher tortoises. The gopher tortoises were transferred to a licensed reptile rehabber. The violations were addressed accordingly.
St. Johns County
- While on water patrol conducting fisheries inspections, Officer Specialist Lawrence and Senior Officer Thomas stopped a vessel fishing. Upon initial contact, the subjects on board stated they only had bait fish onboard. After inspecting their live well, two undersized black drum were located. Officer Lawrence issued both subjects a citation for the violation.
- FWC officers from two regions worked Boater Skip Day on the St. Johns River at Bayard Point to ensure boaters had a safe and fun day on the water. Officers from Clay County Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, Volusia Sheriff’s Office, Green Cove Springs Police Department, St. Augustine Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol were also in the area to ensure the event was safe and successful. During the day, approximately 21 arrests were made by all agencies involved including 11 for boating under the influence, five for driving under the influence, and five for disorderly intoxication. One minor boating accident occurred.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Brevard County
- Officer Specialists Balgo and Hallsten conducted public outreach where they taught alligator safety to elementary school children at a local church’s vacation bible school. There were 300 children in attendance.
  CASES
Broward County
- While patrolling the Port Everglades Inlet, Officer Willis conducted a resource inspection on an inbound vessel. His inspection revealed one subject possessed 25 conch and one bag of skinless snapper fillets. Officer Willis issued the subject federal citations for possession of conch and possession of skinless fillets.
- Officer Bovee conducted a resource inspection on a subject who was fishing at the 15th Street boat ramp. His inspection revealed the subject possessed three undersized mutton snapper, six undersized mangrove snapper, and one undersized barracuda. Bovee issued the subject notice to appear citations for the violations.
- Officer Willis conducted a resource inspection on a vessel near Port Everglades. The inspection revealed two subjects possessed six undersized dolphinfish (mahi-mahi). Willis issued both subjects notice to appear citations for possession of undersized dolphinfish.
- Officer Giani conducted a resource inspection on a vessel near the Hillsboro Inlet. The inspection revealed a subject possessed 12 dolphinfish (mahi-mahi) fillets. Giani issued the subject a notice to appear citation for fish not in whole condition.
- FWC officers responded to a request to be on the lookout for subjects involved in a battery incident. Officers received information suggesting the subjects launched their personal watercrafts from Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park. Officer Willis patrolled the state park boat ramp and located the subjects at the docks about 10 minutes after the intel was received. Officers Bovee, Comartin, Beppel, Bouras, Rigali and Giani responded as backup. After gaining positive identification and conducting interviews, the subjects were released, however, a second incident of acting aggressively with park visitors and staff an hour later resulted in officers trespassing one of the subjects from the park for one year.
- Officer Olivera was patrolling an area known for illegal target shooting and observed a vehicle parked on the side of U.S. 27. While investigating the vehicle, he heard several gunshots. Officer Hammad arrived on the scene as backup. The officers observed four subjects exit the area owned by Florida Power and Lights (FPL). All four subjects admitted to target shooting. Officer Olivera issued the subjects notice to appear citations for trespassing and civil infraction for littering (spent shell casings left behind).
Martin County
- Officers Koger and Bingham were 25 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean at the Oculina Bank Experimental Closed Area and observed people on a vessel bottom fishing. They stopped the vessel to address the violation and found the subjects possessed scamp grouper and two dolphinfish (mahi-mahi). All fish were of legal size, but possession of snapper/grouper species is a violation within the Oculina Bank Experimental Closed Area. An FWC resource citation was issued to document the violation and a case packet sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to address the federal violation.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
Hendry County
- Officers Pridgen, Ciprich and Bray responded to a call about an overdue boater on Lake Okeechobee in the Clewiston area. The overdue party reportedly began a solo fishing trip at 5:30 am and was supposed to be home by 1 p.m. The officers began their search, quickly finding a boat matching the missing person’s vessel description. As officers approached the vessel, they observed the subject unconscious on the deck. The officers began first aid efforts immediately and transported him to a local boat ramp where paramedics were waiting. The subject was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Palm Beach County
- Officers Harris and Klein responded to an emergency call on Lake Okeechobee regarding a subject who had grounded his boat on some rocks causing it to take on water. The presence of alligators prevented the subject from swimming to safety. The officers located the subject and transported him to the marina.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Hendry County
- Officer Dial helped teach a hunter safety course at a local 4-H summer camp. The officer covered the section on rules and regulations and ethical hunting practices. The class was attended by approximately 15 students, who asked several questions and engaged in conversation with the officer about hunting and the outdoors.
 CASES
Collier County
- While on patrol, Officer Aliff conducted a resource check on individuals throwing a cast net. Upon inspection of a cooler, he found two tarpon taken by illegal method. The subject was cited accordingly.
- While conducting a fisheries and license inspection, Officer Delgado located five undersized mangrove snapper. The individual was cited accordingly for the violations.
Miami-Dade County
- Officers Martinez and Presser conducted a fisheries check at Cocoplum Circle. The cooler they inspected contained 10 undersized mangrove snapper and four undersized schoolmaster snapper. The subject was charged with possession of undersized mangrove snapper, possession of undersized schoolmaster snapper, over the bag limit of mangrove snapper and over the aggregate bag limit for snapper.
- Officer Santiago Mosquera was patrolling along L31E Canal north of Moody Canal when he observed two motorized vehicles driving inside South Florida Water Management District property. He stopped both vehicles and observed five occupants and two large trash cans in the back of a pickup truck containing 194 blue land crabs. Officer Whale and Veiga arrived to assist Officer Mosquera and discovered an additional bucket with blue land crabs in the back of the pick-up truck. All five subjects received a notice to appear for possession of blue land crabs over the bag limit (20 per person), and the two owners of the vehicles received an additional charge for operating a motorized vehicle inside the SFWMD area.
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