FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Reports: Aug. 2-8

August 2, 2024 through August 8, 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

Brevard County

• Officer Marshall responded to a call regarding an individual possibly dumping chemicals into the Indian River. Officer Marshall identified the subject and observed buckets near his location. Officer Marshall’s investigation revealed the subject had dumped paint from the buckets into the Indian River, then used the same buckets to store the saltwater products he was collecting in the buckets. A resource inspection of the buckets showed the subject also possessed stone crabs out of season. The subject was cited accordingly. 

Osceola County

• While patrolling a wildlife management area at night, Officer Crespi observed a vehicle driving without a tag. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and found multiple hunting dogs in the bed of the vehicle wearing GPS tracking collars. The officer’s investigation revealed the driver had multiple prior FWC violations and his driver’s license was suspended. The driver admitted to knowing his license was suspended and both subjects admitted to hunting wild hog with their dogs at a different location earlier in the night. All violations were addressed accordingly.
• While patrolling a rural roadway, Lieutenant Lightsey observed a group of hogs feeding along the right of way. Shortly after, he observed a truck pull over and unload a hunting dog wearing an active GPS collar. The vehicle turned around with the dog riding on top of the truck as it neared the hogs. A traffic stop was conducted and both subjects admitted to hunting the hogs from the roadway. A notice to appear was issued for the violation.

Volusia County

• Officer Arroyo responded to information from fellow officers about illegal hunting taking place in Lake Monroe Wildlife Management Area. Officer Arroyo located and contacted the subjects, who possessed a recently killed wild hog. The subjects were charged with illegally hunting in a closed area and for other violations.

Marion County

• Officers Constance and Aultman were on patrol when they discovered a large pile of illegally dumped trash at Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway State Park property. The trash included couches, flooring tiles, household garbage, and other miscellaneous trash items and weighed 1,640 pounds. After a thorough investigation including several interviews and collecting sworn written statements, a subject was identified and arrested for felony dumping.

St. John’s County

• Senior Officer Harris was on foot patrol on the Matanzas Bridge when he located a subject in possession of an oversized red drum. The subject was issued a citation for the violation.

Lake County

• Officer Weber responded to a call about individuals cast netting and keeping gamefish on Lake Dora. Officer Weber observed three individuals cast netting from a dock. The individuals stated they were only practicing how to throw the cast nets and had not kept any fish. Officer Weber observed a plastic bag, concealed under other cast nets, start moving. An inspection of the bag revealed seven bream and two Florida bass inside. The individuals were cited for harvesting gamefish by illegal method. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Seminole County

• Officers Easterbrook, Naules and Poley assisted with an outreach event at Sanford Regional Communications Center for APCO International, an organization that specializes in public safety communications. Approximately 60 individuals, including some from other countries, learned about FWC officers’ responsibilities and daily patrol activities. The officers explained how they use specialized equipment such as airboats. They also brought a small alligator for an educational session about Florida wildlife and explained the importance of conservation law enforcement.

CASES

Lee County

• Officer Hardgrove was on patrol when he observed a vessel violating a manatee zone. He stopped the vessel and asked the two subjects if they had any fish. The subjects told him they had three red drum on board. One of the subjects said he had caught all the fish, so Officer Hardgrove issued that individual a citation for being over the bag limit and for being over the vessel limit of two red drum. 

CASES

Broward County

• Officers Rigali and Comartin Fort responded to a call about a subject molesting a sea turtle nest at Fort Lauderdale Beach. The officers’ investigation into the incident revealed the subject, detained by Fort Lauderdale Police Department, had dug through the nest, retrieved the hatchlings and threw them into the ocean. Rigali and Comartin arrested the subject for several counts of molestation of a sea turtle nest and a host of other charges to include resisting arrest, possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia. The officers transported the subject to the Broward County Jail. 
• Officer Walcott conducted a resource inspection on a subject who was fishing at the Dania Beach Pier. The officer’s inspection revealed the subject possessed an undersized and out-of-season snook. The subject admitted to catching and keeping the snook. Walcott issued the subject a notice to appear citation for the violations. 

Glades County

• Officer Specialist Curbelo observed two subjects at a popular fishing location, quickly put buckets into their car and begin to drive away. There were multiple traffic violations observed, so a traffic stop was conducted. Upon investigation, the subjects were found to possess cast netted freshwater gamefish, and three undersized and out-of-season snook. Additionally, the driver never had a driver’s license issued. Both subjects were arrested for various charges including undersized and out-of-season snook, cast netting freshwater gamefish, possession of controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and driving without a driver’s license.

Hendry County

• FWC officers received a call from a local grove security guard, stating he saw subjects exiting the Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area with several bags of saw palmetto berries. Senior Officer Polly, Lieutenant Kleis, Officer Bray, and the Hendry County agriculture deputies responded to the scene. One subject was located and placed under arrest. Officers found 17 bags of recently harvested saw palmetto berries. The subject was charged with taking plant life from a WMA and harvesting saw palmetto berries without a permit.
• Officer Pridgen responded to complaints about a group of subjects harvesting saw palmetto berries on the Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area. The officer located where the subjects were being dropped off and entering the WMA. While conducting surveillance of the area at night, he saw a van with no lights enter the WMA and pick up subjects. The officer conducted a traffic stop. Several people fled on foot from the van and one was apprehended. As a result of the stop, 43 bags of saw palmetto berries, weighing over 5,800 pounds, were recovered. The subject was taken to the Hendry County jail for resisting arrest, harvesting saw palmetto berries without a permit, and removing plant life from a WMA.
• During the opening day of deer season, Lieutenant Kleis responded to a tip that someone was deer hunting in Dinner Island Ranch Caracara Unit – Public Small Game Hunting Area. Lt. Kleis found a truck matching the description and saw a subject exit the woods with archery equipment. The subject admitted to killing an antlered deer on the WMA. The subject was issued a notice to appear for harvesting a deer on the small game only area. 

Martin County

• Officers Schroer and Moss conducted a fisheries inspection on a fishing boat in federal waters offshore of Stuart and discovered the captain possessed a red snapper during the closed season. Additionally, the captain had an expired fishing license. The captain was cited for the violations. 
• Officer Landers was working in the Indian Riverside Park when he conducted a resource inspection on a subject who was fishing. When asked, the subject said he had only caught three mullet. Officer Landers found three bonefish in the subject’s cooler and explained to the subject that bonefish are a highly protected species and it is illegal to possess them. The subject was issued a citation for the violation.

Palm Beach County

• Officer Brevik and Officer Simmons responded to a boating crash in Lake Worth Beach involving a personal watercraft towing a tube under a bridge at high speeds. The tube collided with the bridge resulting in one injured occupant. It is illegal for a vessel to pull a tube or skier under a bridge. After completing the investigation, Officer Simmons issued the PWC operator a citation for reckless operation. The operator also received a citation for towing the tube under the bridge. 
• Officer Harris responded to a call regarding a subject taking two snook out of season and placing them in a backpack while on the Juno Beach fishing pier. The officer located and observed a subject who possessed a black backpack containing a snook. During the inspection, the officer discovered a second snook and neither snook was of legal size. The subject was charged with possession of snook during closed season and possession of more than one snook per day per harvester.
• Officer Riggs observed a subject parked on the side of the road fishing north of Burnt Bridge in John D. MacArthur Beach State Park. Upon inspection the subject produced his fishing license and told the officer his fish were in the bucket. The officer identified 15 undersized dog snapper, one undersized schoolmaster snapper, a goliath grouper, and a great barracuda during the resource inspection. Goliath grouper are not legal to harvest in Palm Beach County during any time of year. The aggregate bag limit for snapper is 10 fish. The subject received notice to appear citations for the goliath grouper, undersized dog snapper, undersized schoolmaster snapper and for being over the bag limit of snapper. 
• Officers Harris, Sellers, Wences, Simmons, Defeo, and McVeigh issued nine citations for various resource violations and enforcement of South Florida Water Management District rules. Additionally, FWC officers issued several noncriminal citations and warnings. Officers positively identified two subjects with active warrants and FWC Officers Sellers and Harris arrested both subjects. 
• Officer Delaney was on land patrol in Monroe County at Harry Harris Park when she conducted a resource inspection on a subject fishing near the boat ramp.  The subject was found to be in possession of an undersized mutton snapper.  The subject was issued a citation for the violation. 

St. Lucie County

• Officer Barghouty was on foot patrol at the D.J. Wilcox Preserve, when he observed a subject and his family walking towards him.  They had fishing rods, a cast net, and two coolers with them.  While conducting a resource inspection, officers discovered two undersized snook, one tarpon, and two undersized sheepshead. Through conversation with everyone and the fact that one subject was the only person wet, Officer Barghouty determined he was the one who caught the fish using the cast net.  A citation and multiple warnings were issued. 
• Officers Bingham and Miano responded to a call about a subject harvesting undersized snapper.  The officers located and observed three subjects fishing under the eastern span of the Fort Pierce, Northbridge, A1A.  While conducting a marine fisheries inspection, a subject on the boat handed over a five-gallon bucket with an assortment of snapper that he stated he had caught.  Upon measuring the contents of the bucket, Officer Bingham found one undersized gray snapper and three undersized mutton snapper. A boating safety inspection revealed no safety equipment on board. The vessel and occupants returned to the boat ramp, where a citation and warnings were issued for the violations observed. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Broward County

• Officers Bovee and Comartin took part in the "Take a Kid Fishing" outreach event held in Davie. The event attracted over a hundred children who were eager to learn about fishing and outdoor safety. Bovee and Comartin interacted with the attendees, offering valuable insights about the FWC and emphasizing the importance of water safety. The officers also assisted the children with fishing, ensuring everyone had a wonderful and educational experience. It was a successful and enjoyable event for all involved.

MAJOR WILDLIFE ASSISTANCE

Martin County

• Officer Reinhardt was contacted by FWC biologists about a manatee mating herd in the C-44 canal with one manatee being possibly immobile. FWC biologists asked for assistance to locate the herd and report on any injured manatees.  Due to the area being difficult to access, Officer Reinhardt contacted Officer Koger who was able to deploy a drone so they could quickly observe and not disturb the wildlife. With Officer Koger’s drone, the two officers were able to verify all manatees in the herd were healthy and mobile.

CASES

Miami-Dade County

• Officers Reynaud and Veiga were on uniformed water patrol near the Intracoastal Waterway where they observed a vessel causing excessive wake in a posted idle speed zone. Officer Veiga initiated a vessel stop and conducted a safety inspection. The officers ran a query and learned the operator had an active felony warrant from Miami-Dade County. The officers arrested and booked the operator into the county jail.
• Lieutenant Dominguez and Officer Williams stopped a vessel with divers in the water inside the Biscayne Bay Lobster Sanctuary. The divers were harvesting and in possession of two spiny lobster. The captain was cited for lobstering in the sanctuary. 
• Lieutenant Dominguez and Officer Williams conducted a stop on a vessel with four people onboard east of Dinner Key Channel. The inspection revealed the subjects were in possession of 11 wrung spiny lobster tails. The captain was cited for possessing wrung lobster tails while on the waters of the state. 
• Officers Sample and Martinez stopped two separate vessels inside of the Biscayne Bay Lobster Sanctuary with divers in the water lobstering. The captains were cited for lobstering in the sanctuary. 
• Officers Sample and Martinez conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel east of Soldier Key. The fisheries inspection revealed an undersized hogfish. The captain was cited for possessing undersized hogfish. 
• Officers Adler and Presser conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel by the East Venetian. The subject was in possession of two undersized spiny lobster and charged accordingly. 
• Officers Gutierrez and Rodriguez conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel in Cape Florida Channel. The inspection revealed two undersized spiny lobster and the subject did not have a measuring device. The subject was cited for possessing undersized spiny lobster and no measuring device. 

Monroe County

• Investigators Chris Mattson and Oscar Saavedra were in plain clothes and on unmarked state water patrol around the Channel 2 bridge when they observed a single scuba diver surface with a full bag of lobster. The subject possessed 13 spiny lobster, seven more than the daily bag limit. He was cited for over the bag limit of spiny lobster. 
• Investigators Chris Mattson and Oscar Saavedra were in plain clothes and on unmarked state water patrol. They were bayside of Lower Matecumbe when they observed a snorkeler lobstering in a closed area (Islamorada village ordinance within 300 feet of shore). The subject was in possession of two undersized spiny lobster and had no measuring device. He told the investigators that he was using an app on his phone to measure the lobster. The man was cited for undersized lobster and for no measuring device. 
• Investigators Chris Mattson and Jessica Conroy were in plain clothes and on unmarked state water patrol bayside of the Channel 2 bridge along the rocks and mangroves. They observed a freediver without a dive flag deep into the trees and almost hidden from view. The investigators observed the subject possessed a gig/hook stick – an end of a fishing pole with a fishhook affixed to the end. The subject also had an undersized spiny lobster. The subject was cited for undersized lobster and illegal method of take and received a dive flag infraction. 
• Investigators Chris Mattson and Jessica Conroy were in plain clothes and on unmarked state water patrol bayside of Lower Matecumbe when they observed two snorkelers lobstering in a closed area (Islamorada village ordinance within 300 feet of shore). The vessel was also unregistered and tied to the mangroves. An inspection revealed neither subject had a measuring device and they were in possession of five undersized spiny lobster. The subjects were cited for the violations and the vessel captain was written for no life jackets and unregistered vessel. 
• Investigators Chris Mattson and Jessica Conroy were in plain clothes and on unmarked state water patrol bayside of Lower Matecumbe when they observed a snorkeler lobstering in a closed area (Islamorada village ordinance within 300 feet of shore). The subject was in possession of two undersized spiny lobster and did not have a measuring device. He was cited for the violations.