FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Reports: July 19-25

July 19, 2024 through July 25, 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

Escambia County

• Master Officer Hahr was patrolling at the Pipes Recreation Area in Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed subjects in possession of alcoholic beverages. While attempting to identify them, one subject provided a name and date of birth that turned out to be her sister. A record check on her real name showed a warrant for failure to appear. She was arrested on the warrant and charged with giving a false name to a law enforcement officer. 
• Master Officer Hahr was patrolling the Wilson Robertson boat ramp when he encountered a subject with an outstanding felony warrant for larceny. The subject was arrested and taken to Escambia County Jail.
• Officers Lugg and Wilkenson were patrolling Little Sabine Bay during the Blue Angels Airshow when they observed a vessel with several fishing rods. A resource inspection was conducted, which revealed possession of an undersized red snapper. The subject responsible was cited for the violation.
• The FWC received information of a possible derelict vessel located in the Santa Rosa Sound. Officer Wilkenson located the vessel, which was grounded near residence properties on Pensacola Beach. The owner was located and cited for the violation.

Okaloosa County

• Officers J. Brooks, Oliver, Phillips, and Senst responded to the scene of a boating accident where a subject had struck multiple moored vessels at a local marina. The officers got on scene and conducted a boating accident investigation.

Santa Rosa County

• Officer Lewis responded a complaint from the Florida Forest Service about a subject camping at a primitive campsite in Blackwater River State Forest for more than the allowable 14 consecutive nights in a 30-day period. Officer Lewis and Officer Roberson located the subject and subsequently cited the subject for the camping violation and for littering.
• Officer Wilkenson conducted a compliance check of an authorized gopher tortoise agent who was relocating gopher tortoises off private property, pursuant to a permit issued by the FWC. Upon inspection of the site and contact with the agent, several permit violations were discovered. The agent was cited for the violations.  
• Officer Lewis was on patrol in Blackwater River State Park when he observed a vehicle speeding in the park. Officer Lewis motioned for the driver to slow the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle slowed the vehicle then came to a stop to ask the officer a question. While the officer was answering the driver’s question, he observed the vehicle’s tag had been expired for about two years. A computer check for the tag and driver showed the subject’s driver license was suspended, there was a seize tag and seize order for the vehicle. The officer issued the driver citations for the traffic violations, seized the vehicle’s tag, and impounded the vehicle. 

Wakulla County

• Officer J. Hofheinz was on patrol at Wakulla Springs State Park. Using agency radar he observed several vehicles traveling faster than the posted 25 miles per hour. The drivers did not have a valid driver’s license and were charged for driving while not possessing a driver’s license and were cited for unlawful speed in a state park. 
• Officer J. Hofheinz was on patrol at Wakulla Springs State Park. Using agency radar, he observed a vehicle traveling over the posted 25 miles per hour. The driver did not have a valid driver license and had six prior driving while license suspended or revoked convictions. The driver was placed under arrest and transported to Wakulla County Jail. The driver was issued citations for habitual offender of driving while license suspended or revoked and a citation for unlawful speed in a state park. 

Walton County

• K-9 Officer Graves planned and led a targeted enforcement action with assistance from Officers Letcher and Yates. The team focused on addressing violations of road damage, dumping, and illegal activity in Point Washington State Forest and nearby Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail Hill State Park. The officers encountered many violations throughout the detail, totaling four resource citations, 23 written warnings, two misdemeanor traffic citations, two infraction traffic citations and six traffic warnings.
• Lieutenant Tison responded to information of illegal dead head logging on the Choctawhatchee River. With the assistance of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, he located the individuals with two freshly taken dead head logs near the boat landing. One of the subjects admitted to taking the logs from the Choctawhatchee River. All three subjects were charged for illegally logging on state submersed lands without a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.
• Officer Letcher and Lieutenant Tison observed a boat shining lights into the bushes on the bank of the Choctawhatchee River. The officers saw the individuals tying up bush hooks to target catfish and made a vessel stop to conduct a resource inspection. The two subjects did not have any tags on their bush hooks providing their names and addresses as required by law. They also had illegal gamefish on the boat that they admitted to using for bait on the bush hooks. A recently placed bream was located on the bush hook the individuals were seen tying onto a tree limb. The subjects were cited for using gamefish on bush hooks and warned for not properly tagging the hooks. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

• Officer R. Brooks spoke at the “Bent Rod Fishing Club” meeting in DeFuniak Springs about current fishing, boating, and hunting regulations. Officer Brooks answered a variety of questions and spoke to a total of 12 members.

CASES

Citrus County

• While conducting federal fisheries patrol within the South Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the offshore patrol vessel Sentinel, Senior Officers Geib and Read conducted a boating safety and resource inspection on a boater with people fishing. During the inspection, Officer Read found four subjects onboard possessed 12 undersized vermilion snapper and an out-of-season red snapper. The vessel was also in violation related to gear as their descending device was not rigged and ready for use as required by Code of Federal Regulations. The case will be submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for disposition. 
• Officers Jovanov and Sarmiento responded to a boating accident in Crystal River where a personal watercraft collided with an object at night. Charges included careless operation of a vessel and operating a PWC during night hours. 

Duval County

• Officer Specialist Barry observed a subject carrying fishing gear and a blue and red cooler to his vehicle at the Alimacani boat ramp. An inspection of the cooler revealed several blue crabs and clams. The subject stated he was fishing a creek south of the Fort George Inlet. The creek where the clams were harvested from is designated as a nonapproved harvesting area for shellfish. The subject was issued a citation for the violation and must appear in court. 
• Officer Specialist Barry conducted a resource inspection on a kayaker returning from the Fort George Inlet with fishing gear and a medium sized cooler on his kayak. The subject said there were crabs in the cooler.  Officer Specialist Barry asked if he had any fish in the cooler and he stated, “red and whiting.”  An inspection of the subject’s cooler revealed one undersized red drum, four undersized black drum, three egg bearing blue crab, and two stone crabs out of season. The subject was issued citations for the violations and must appear in court. 
• Officer Specialist Barry conducted a fisheries inspection on three individuals fishing a creek near Alimacani boat ramp. The inspection revealed three undersized red drum. One individual admitted to catching all three of the red drum. The subject was cited for possession of over the bag limit and undersized red drum and must appear in court.

Madison County

• Officer Dusty Humphrey responded to a call about an individual who was seen catching and killing an alligator while fishing. Officer Humphrey responded to the area and located the vehicle and subject that matched the description given. Officer Humphrey interviewed the subject and located a dead 3 1/2’ alligator in a blue cooler in front of the subject’s vehicle. The individual admitted to catching and killing the alligator. During the inspection Officer Humphrey was also notified the subject had an active warrant. The subject was arrested, cited for the alligator violation and transported to Madison County Jail. 

Nassau County

• Officer Schirbock stopped a charter boat returning from an offshore fishing trip and coordinated with the captain to complete a fisheries inspection at the dock.  Investigator Izsak met them at the dock and upon inspection of the vessel, Izsak and Schirbock observed several species of fish being unloaded by a deckhand on the charter vessel to take them to the cleaning table, including nine undersized dolphinfish (mahi-mahi). The captain of the vessel was issued a citation and must appear in court. 

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Citrus County

• Officers Sarmiento, VanNess, Pietroburgo and Jovanov, and Lieutenant Ransom responded at night to a search and rescue call in the Gum Slough area to locate two lost kayakers. The FWC’s aviation unit and Officer VanNess used an airplane equipped with night vision technology to spot the lost kayakers and lead Officer Sarmiento and Lieutenant Ransom to them. Officer Sarmiento and Lieutenant Ransom used a mud boat to reach the lost kayakers in the swamp and return them to safety.

CASES

Brevard County

• Officer Poley conducted an inspection of the fish harvested by two individuals freshwater fishing with cast nets. The officer found gamefish to be harvested by cast nets, which is not a legal method for freshwater gamefish. Officer Poley conducted a license inspection and the subjects did not have valid freshwater fishing licenses. Officer Poley issued a notice to appear for the illegal method of take of freshwater gamefish and citations for no valid freshwater fishing licenses.
• Officer Specialist Fahnestock conducted a resource and license inspection after observing individuals harvesting freshwater fish with cast nets. The officer found several species of gamefish, including black crappie, redear sunfish and bluegill harvested by the nets. Officer Fahnestock issued the individual a notice to appear for the illegal method of take of freshwater gamefish.

Lake County

• Officer Stamp responded to a possible hit and run boating accident on Lake Harris. A vessel leaving a restaurant struck a docked vessel and left the area when they were confronted. The victims were able to provide Officer Stamp with a description of the striking vessel and its registration numbers. Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the registered owner’s residence of the striking vessel. The deputies observed the vessel as it arrived at the residence. Officer Stamp responded and conducted his boating accident investigation.

Seminole County

• Officer Specialist Fahnestock observed a group of five individuals walking the shoreline of the St. John’s River fishing with cast nets. He conducted a resource and license inspection and found several gamefish were harvested by the cast nets. Officer Fahnestock issued notice to appear citations to the individuals who were harvesting the gamefish by the illegal method.

St. Johns County

• Officer Specialist Lawrence and Senior Officer Tomas were conducting fisheries inspections at Guana River State Park and located an oversized and undersized red drum in a cooler in the subject’s vehicle. The subject claimed possession and was charged accordingly.

Volusia County

• Officer Specialist Grant investigated an incident involving two commercial vessel towing companies. It was alleged that one tow company had interfered with the commercial operation of the other tow company. Officer Grant gathered information about the incident and interviewed the victim. Digital evidence included threatening harm and striking the victim’s vessel during the incident. The information was corroborated with blue paint transfer from the subject’s vessel against the yellow hull of the victim’s commercial vessel. The complete investigation was filed with the State Attorney’s Office and a warrant was issued for the arrest of the subject. The subject was arrested for aggravated assault.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Marion County

• Officers responded to a report of two overdue kayakers on the Ocklawaha River. In cooperation with Marion County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit, Officer Roberts and Lieutenant Seiler located one of the missing subjects in his kayak in the river. The subject was taken back to the boat ramp and questioned about the other subject still unaccounted for. The search for the missing subject continued through the night and included several patrol officers as well as FWC K-9 and aviation and drone Units. The missing subject was located the following morning walking the road of a nearby wildlife management area.

CASES

Lee County

• Officer Adkins saw a subject walking the shoreline with a headlamp and a bucket coming from the north side of the New Pass Bridge in Estero Bay. After watching the subject, the officer determined the subject had live shells inside the bucket. The subject said he picked the shells up from Estero Bay on the mud flat and admitted he also had two whole stone crabs. Upon inspecting the bucket, Officer Adkins found eight live lightning whelks, two live tulip shells, five live hard clams, five live cockle clams, two live sea urchins, four blue crabs and two whole stone crabs. The subject was cited for the harvest of live shellfish, possession of whole stone crabs and possession of stone crab claws out of season. He was also given a written warning for having an expired saltwater fishing license. 
• Officers Adkins and Ramsey saw two subjects carrying a bucket and a cast net quickly walking toward a truck near Blind Pass Park on Sanibel Island. Officer Ramsey asked if they had any luck fishing and one of the subjects opened the bucket lid showing one legal seatrout and two undersized, out-of-season snook. The subject admitted to catching them using a cast net. He was cited for possession of undersized snook, possession of snook during closed season and taking snook by illegal method. 
• Officer Adkins responded to a call about multiple people keeping snook at Blind Pass Beach on Sanibel Island. When he arrived, he found the subjects matching the description that was provided. He asked if they had caught any fish and they said “no.” He noticed a bucket nearby with two undersized and out-of-season snook along with a hand fishing device. The officer asked if there were more fish and the subjects said “no.” Using his flashlight, Officer Adkins located another snook half buried in the sand and concealed under a small life jacket on the beach. After removing the lifejacket, he found nine additional snook. Two individuals were each issued a notice to appear for undersized snook, over the bag limit of snook, and harvesting snook during a closed season.

CASES

Broward County

• Officer Willis stopped a vessel returning from the Bahamas to conduct a resource inspection while patrolling at the Port Everglades Inlet and Intracoastal Waterway. His inspection revealed a subject onboard the vessel possessed 16 large bags filled with wrung lobster tails, 14 large bags of stone crab claws, and 12 large bags of conch. Officer Willis issued the subject five federal citations. 
• The offshore patrol vessel crew, Officer Dudas and Officer Specialist Bruder, conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel while patrolling at the Port Everglades Inlet and the Intracoastal Waterway. The inspection revealed 12 bags of skinless fillets of various snapper species. Officer Bruder’s interview of the vessel captain confirmed there were 36 total fish in the bags, 17 fish over the legal limit coming from the Bahamas. Information regarding all subjects onboard the vessel was documented and sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for processing. 
• Officer Favrot conducted land patrol at the A-1 FEB and U.S. 27 when he observed a vehicle on U.S. Sugar property. Officer Favrot approached the vehicle to investigate and one of the three subjects attempted to conceal a dead great blue heron. Favrot interviewed all three subjects. One subject admitted to shooting the bird with a .22 caliber rifle. The officer issued the subject a notice to appear citation for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He also issued the three subjects notice to appear citations for trespassing on U.S. Sugar property. 
• Officer Willis conducted a resource inspection of an angler at Dania Beach Pier. His inspection revealed the subject possessed three scrawled filefish. Willis issued the subject a notice to appear citation for violating Florida administrative code pertaining to Marine Life/Live Landing. 
• Officers Bouras and Beppel conducted a boating safety inspection on a vessel at the Pioneer Park Boat Ramp. Their inspection revealed the vessel was missing safety equipment. The officers also discovered the vessel was a rental. They waited for the owner to arrive on scene and issued him a notice to appear citation for renting a vessel without required safety equipment. 
• Officers Comartin and Bovee conducted a resource inspection on a vessel at the Port Everglades Inlet. A check of the subjects onboard the vessel revealed one subject had an active warrant. The officers arrested the subject and transported him to the Broward County jail.

Glades County

• Officer Bray observed a vessel with no registration numbers returning to the boat ramp. Officer Bray stopped the vessel to address the violation and conduct safety and resource inspections. During the stop, Officer Bray determined the subject purchased the vessel and never registered it within 30 days and the subject had no bill of sale on board. A records check showed the vessel had never been registered and was made in 1993. The subject was charged with operating an unregistered vessel. 

Indian River County

• Officers Godward and Bingham were approximately 25 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean at the Oculina Bank Experimental Closed Area when they observed an individual bottom fishing. As they approached the vessel to address the violation, they saw the subject reel in a red snapper and pull it out of the water. Citations were issued for bottom fishing the Oculina Bank Experimental Closed Area and violations pertaining to the snapper/grouper species taken. An infraction was also issued for no descending device readily accessible.  

Martin County

• While on water patrol, Officer Koger stopped a small vessel at night with no navigational lights leaving the Manatee Pocket. Upon inspection, Officer Koger found two undersized gray snapper and one undersized lane snapper. The subject was also one fish over the bag limit of gray snapper. The subject was issued court summons for the undersized fish and the over the bag limit, two warnings for the vessel’s navigational lighting violation and the registration display violation.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Broward County

• Officer Willis was conducting water patrol a mile offshore from Hillsboro Inlet when he observed a subject in the water waving a speargun and yelling for help. Officer Willis pulled the subject onto his patrol vessel and called for EMS to meet at the nearest boat ramp. Officer Willis learned the subject got separated from his vessel and had been drifting north for over an hour. The subject was turned over to EMS for treatment.
• Officers Hammad and Olivera received report from a “Good Sam” neighbor that they saw a man walking his dog near a canal when an alligator came out of the water and bit the dog. The officers called around to local veterinary hospitals and eventually located and spoke to the owner of the dog. The officers learned the dog required stitches but was not severely injured. Officers contacted the FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to remove the alligator.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Broward County

• Officers Comartin and Bovee took part in a community outreach event at the Sheridan House Family Ministries. During the event, the officers delivered a comprehensive FWC presentation to the young attendees that featured a live alligator display. They engaged in one-on-one interactions with the youth and addressed various questions about wildlife and regulations.