FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Reports: Jan. 24-30, 2025

January 24, 2025, through January 30, 2025

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

Wakulla County

• Officer Fernbach observed subjects at a gas station near Spring Creek with 38 black drum on the pavement. He conducted a resource inspection and observed the subjects to be in possession of 23 black drum over the bag limit and in possession of five undersized sheepshead. Two subjects were issued with notice to appear citations. 

CASES

Brevard County

• Officer Wild observed several individuals cast netting into Canal 54 of Stick Marsh Critical Wildlife Area. After conducting a resource inspection on individuals in possession of a nearby bucket, he located several redear sunfish (gamefish) on a stringer. The individuals were cited for illegal method of taking freshwater gamefish.

Indian River County

• Officers Wild and Naules patrolled at Headwaters Boat Ramp during the last weekend of waterfowl hunting. After performing a vessel stop and resource inspection on a group of subjects who were in possession of harvested lesser scaup, it was determined one subject did not possess his federal duck stamp, which is required to hunt waterfowl. The subject was cited accordingly.

Lake County

• Officer Stamp was patrolling Emeralda Marsh Public Small Game Hunting Area during a waterfowl hunting day when he observed a vessel drop two subjects off on a levee and then leave. He continued to watch the subjects on the levee and observed them shoot at a group of ducks. Hunting from the levee is prohibited in the small game hunting area. Officer Stamp issued the subjects notice to appear citations for hunting in a closed area.
• Senior Officer Phillips was patrolling Emeralda Marsh Public Small Game Hunting Area during a waterfowl hunting day when he observed a vessel returning to the ramp with waterfowl hunting equipment. During a license and resource inspection, Officer Phillips determined the subject’s shotgun was capable of holding more than three shells at a time. Officer Phillips issued the subject a notice to appear citation for the violation.
• Officers Poley, Naules, and Wild worked Areas 7 and 3 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area for a waterfowl hunting detail. After several vessel stops and resource inspections throughout the day, several violations were addressed including shotguns capable of holding more than three rounds and federal duck stamp violations.

Orange County

• Officer Specialist Fahnestock and Officer Walesch were patrolling in a local wildlife management area prior to a quota hog-dog hunt when they observed a vehicle parked on a closed road in an area not legal to park. They conducted surveillance and observed an individual coming out of the woods with a shotgun and a pistol. After conducting an interview with the subject, they concluded the subject was hunting during a closed season along with several other WMA violations. The subject was cited accordingly.

St. Johns County

• Aviation Lieutenant Cain relayed a possible violation around Salt Run related to several abandoned bags of oysters submerged. Lieutenant Miller along with Officers Chamberlain, Campbell, and Dodd launched an airboat to investigate. During the investigation, one commercial harvester was checked who was in possession of commercial quantities of untagged oysters. Officer Chamberlain issued a citation for failing to affix harvesting tags prior to leaving the oyster bed.
• Aviation Lieutenant Cain relayed a GPS coordinate and pictures of a subject harvesting oysters in a prohibited area in a canal southwest of Matanzas. Officers Chamberlain, Thomas, and Harris launched an airboat and located the subject. Officer Thomas issued the subject citation for harvesting oysters in a prohibited area.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Indian River County

• K-9 Senior Officer Platt responded at night to a call regarding several hikers lost at Fort Drum Wildlife Management Area. Indian River County Sheriffy’s Office was on-scene with their helicopter and located the hikers in the WMA. Officer Platt and K-9 Bolo used the information from IRCSO and walked several miles to locate the subjects and safely return them to their vehicle.

CASES

Manatee County

• Officer Wesche observed an individual diving around the South Skyway Fishing pier. As the subject loaded up their fishing gear and began to drive off, Officer Wesche conducted a resource inspection. The inspection revealed the individual had speared an oversized redfish and did not have a valid driver’s license. The subject was issued multiple citations and will have to appear in Manatee County Court.

CASES

Broward County

• Lieutenant Ryan observed an unoccupied vehicle parked in front of a posted construction site warning sign at Stormwater Treatment Area 2 and U.S. 27. This area is a designated construction site and trespassing on this site or theft from this site is a felony. Ryan surveyed the area and located a subject on a bicycle. Ryan’s investigation revealed the unoccupied vehicle belonged to the subject and he was trespassing on the property. Ryan arrested the subject for felony trespass charges. Officer J. Gonzalez transported the subject to the Broward County Jail.
• Officers Cusick, Palacios, Dudas and Bruder contacted the owner of a seafood market for the purpose of a retail inspection. Their inspection revealed the owner was operating with no valid saltwater retail license. Cusick issued the owner a notice to appear citation for the violation.
• Officers Rigali and Comartin responded to a call for assistance from the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) at the Sawgrass Trailhead and Atlantic Blvd. BSO deputies received reports of an individual making suicidal threats. FWC officers opened the gate at this location and transported the BSO deputies in their patrol trucks down the rough levee road. The officers encountered the subject and BSO deputies verbally engaged the subject and determined he could be a harm to himself. Based on that assessment, BSO deputies detained the individual and transported the subject to the Broward Mental Health intake for further evaluation.

Okeechobee County

• Officer Dziewiatkowski observed a spotlight being displayed into the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park from the south boundary fence line.  As the vehicle approached, Officer Dziewiatkowski saw a subject standing up through the sunroof of the vehicle with a spotlight and a rifle.  A vehicle stop was conducted and after further investigation, it was found the subject standing in the sunroof with the firearm was also a convicted felon. Both the driver and passenger were issued citations for road hunting, hunting in the state park and displaying a light while in possession of a firearm customarily used to take deer.  Additionally, the passenger was arrested and transported to Okeechobee County Jail for the charge of felon in possession of a firearm. 

Palm Beach County

• Officers Wences and Harris were conducting resource inspections on duck hunters in Stormwater Treatment Area 1 and discovered a group of three subjects who had in their collective possession six common gallinules. None of the subjects possessed a federal duck stamp.  The season for common gallinule is currently closed and they are not allowed to be taken in the STA during duck hunts. One subject also did not have a migratory bird permit.  All three subjects were cited accordingly.

St. Lucie County

• Officer Levesque and Officer Castle observed a subject catch a snook and conceal it in the rocks at the Belcher Canal Spillway. The subject continued to fish and then began to run when he spotted the officer’s truck.  The subject was stopped and issued a notice to appear in court for possessing snook during closed season and a warning for possessing undersized snook.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Okeechobee County

• Lieutenant Simons, Senior Officer Moss, Officer Specialist Crosby, K-9 Officer Madsen, Officer Pfeiffer and GOC II Mann, took part in the Touch – A – Truck event at the Okeechobee County Agri-Civic Center. Officers used an airboat and a helicopter to show participants some of the tools officers use when conducting patrols. Officers also had literature and other items to hand out to the children. Officers answered questions about the agency and described the day-to-day job duties of an FWC law enforcement officer. There were well over 3,000 people in attendance for the event.

CASES

Monroe County

• Investigator Chris Mattson and Pilot Ryan Trueblood were on unmarked water patrol in the Grecian Rocks Sanctuary Preservation Area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. They observed a subject freediving in the water with a dive flag that was not visible from 360 degrees. A resource inspection revealed he was in the SPA and had just speared an out-of-season red grouper (closed Jan. 1 through April 30). A boating safety inspection revealed that he was missing four required boating safety equipment items. Appropriate law enforcement action was taken for the violations.

Statewide Summary of Boating Related Law Enforcement Activities

For January 1-31, 2025