Fishing The Florida Coast - Florida-Offshore.Com

FWC Violations, Week of Dec 25 2008

NORTH CENTRAL REGION

ALACHUA COUNTY

On December 20, Officers Brad Stanley and Joseph Johnston responded to a night hunting complaint off CR 234 in south Alachua County. After making contact with the complainant, the officers located the vehicle and the two suspects. After Miranda, Officers Stanley and Johnston received written statements stating that the two men were shining a light and looking for deer, however; they didn’t see a buck big enough to shoot. Two Q-beam lights and a 22 magnum rifle were seized. Both suspects received a citation for attempting to take deer a night.

BRADFORD COUNTY

Lieutenant David Lee concluded an investigation into the illegal taking of a black bear. Information was initially obtained in Bradford County pertaining to a bear being killed in Putnam County in early December. Northeast Region Lieutenant Ben Allen and Officer John Martin assisted Lieutenant Lee and Investigator Kevin Larson in recovering a dead bear that had been shot. After interviewing several subjects, Investigators were led to a 41-year-old Lawtey woman. The violator admitted to shooting the bear on December 9, after mistaking it for a hog. She found the bear December 16 and realized she had shot a bear. When confronted with evidence and statements, she admitted to shooting the bear with a 5mm rifle. Information will be filed with the State Attorney in Putnam County charging the violator with a third degree felony for the illegal killing of a Florida Black Bear.

DUVAL COUNTY

A poaching ring investigation concluded with the arrest of three suspects charged with taking deer out of season, taking deer at night, trespass and grand larceny. Investigator Kevin Larson, with the assistance of Officers James Thurne and Alex Obritis, has been investigating this group for the past three months. Some deer were shot and left beside several area roadways with no attempt to take the meat. A ten point rack and a pie ball deer hide were seized in the investigation. A game camera was stolen from a hunt club, resulting in the grand theft and trespass charges. Other area officers assisted by conducting enhanced patrol and surveillance of the area. The suspects denied knowledge of the crimes but when presented with the large amount of evidence and witness statements, they all gave sworn written confessions to the violations.

On December 15, Officer Sandra Blackburn was on land patrol conducting resource and license inspections when she came into contact with two men fishing from shore. Officer Blackburn found that the two 18 year olds were in compliance with resource and license regulations, however, when she looked in the bed of their truck she discovered several cans of beer, one of which was open. The appropriate citations were issued for the violation.

On December 19, Officers Hope McGregor, Jamie Stowell, Robert Lentz, and Adam Small performed marine fisheries and boating safety inspections at the Mayport Boat Ramp and the North End Boat Ramp. Twenty-one vessel inspections were conducted which resulted in five boating safety and three resource warnings being issued.

TAYLOR COUNTY

On December 23, Officer Rob Goley was working an area with numerous night hunting complaints when he received a call from a landowner stating they had just watched a subject shoot onto their property and they were in the process of following the violator’s vehicle. While Officer Goley was responding to their location, a Madison County Deputy stopped the vehicle in question and held the subject until Officer Goley arrived. The subjects had a freshly killed doe deer in the bed of their truck and confessed to shooting the doe on the private property. The subject was arrested for taking an antlerless deer out of season and shooting from a county road.

NORTHEAST REGION

PUTNAM COUNTY

On December 28, Officer Mike Florence was on patrol of the St Johns River near Satsuma when he stopped a vessel for a boating safety inspection and observed a freshly killed doe deer in the vessel. The vessel operator, who had also been hunting, immediately stated, “You got me.” The subject was cited for taking doe deer during the closed season. Further charges are pending.

SUMTER COUNTY

On December 19, Officers Mark Bishard and Tom Kist received information that a 72-year-old fisherman, who had recently suffered a stroke, was stranded on Lake Panasoffkee. The officers proceeded to the Pana-Vista Lodge fish camp, borrowed a vessel from the camp’s owner and located the fisherman. The fisherman and his vessel were towed to safety.

On December 19, Officer Ian Sweet was patrolling the Croom Wildlife Management Area during the small game season and observed a pick-up truck with two subjects standing by the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, Officer Sweet found a 30-30 and a 30-06 rifle in the bed of the truck. The subjects were cited for possessing a center fire rifle during small game season.

On December 23, Officers Kist and Bishard observed two pick-up trucks parked along Center Grade in the Richloam Wildlife Management Area. While conducting a resource inspection, Officer Kist smelled burnt marijuana coming from the inside of one of the trucks. A search of the truck and occupants revealed two bags of marijuana and a glass smoking pipe. The driver and passenger were cited for possession of marijuana less than 20 grams with the passenger also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. The marijuana and smoking pipe were seized as evidence and turned into the sheriff’s office evidence room for safekeeping. Officer Bishard cited the driver of the second pick-up for possession of alcohol by a person under 21 years of age.

NORTHWEST REGION

No report submitted.

SOUTHWEST REGION

HIGHLANDS COUNTY

On December 20, Lieutenant Joe Allen, Officers Matthew Ervin and Robert Adams worked a detail in C-Pool of the Kissimmee River Public Use Area targeting subjects attempting to take wildlife from moving vessels. Officer Ervin charged one subject with taking a wild hog using a moving vessel.

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY

On December 26, Lieutenant Joe Allen and Officer Joe Brooks were on water patrol in Pool D of the Kissimmee River when they stopped a vessel operated by a seventeen-year-old male and occupied by two seventeen-year-old females. The operator had been drinking beer and the there was beer present in the vessel. The operator was charged with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a minor, the two females received warnings. The juveniles were turned over to their guardians.

POLK COUNTY

On December 20, Officer Dirk Williamson investigated a boating accident in the C-37 Canal north of Lake Kissimmee. Two subjects in an airboat in heavy fog ran aground on the canal bank. Both subjects received cuts and bruises. Officer Williamson is continuing the investigation.

On December 26, Officer Williamson was on patrol in Kicco Wildlife Management Area when he heard a shot fired from an area closed to hunting. After following foot tracks, he apprehended four subjects who were hunting in the closed area. Two of the subjects were adults and were charged with hunting in a closed area, and two juveniles received warnings.

SARASOTA COUNTY

On December 18, Sarasota County Animal Control notified FWC that a residence in Venice had unsanitary conditions for wildlife. Officers Nicholas Ridgeway, Adam Brown, Robert O’Horo and Investigator Larry Gregory responded to the call. The officers discovered seven venomous snakes for which the owner was not licensed to posses. Numerous non-venomous snakes were in enclosures which had not been cleaned or properly maintained. The homeowner’s license to exhibit or sell captive wildlife was expired. Officers transferred the venomous snakes to a licensed facility. The owner was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of venomous reptiles without a license and unsafe/unsanitary conditions for captive wildlife.

SOUTH REGION A

BROWARD COUNTY

Officer Nathan Brock and Reserve Officer Paul Mercer conducted a fisheries check at Johnny’s Basshole resulting in a warrant arrest for one subject and a second subject arrested for possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest without violence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Lieutenant George Waldeck and Investigator Tony Howell flew down to the South Region to assist local officers with an illegal seine netting case. The visiting officers, with over sixty years of combined fisheries experience, used their expertise to train local officers on proper methods to measure seine nets and assist local officers in their preparation for a court case. Local officers put their training to use measuring an illegal seine net constructed with eight different sections, varying depths and a large pocket. After many hours of counting ties and measuring stretched mesh, Officer Kerry Bernhard and Investigator Buck determined the net exceeded 2,300 square feet. Fishing with the oversized net constitutes a flagrant violation and felony charges will be filed on all three suspects as well as additional misdemeanor charges for illegal net size, improper net markings and failure to properly ice the saltwater product.

SAINT LUCIE COUNTY

South Region Alpha Investigations partnered with the Special Operation Group and local officers to serve a search warrant in Fort Pierce. The Internet crimes section referred an email forum that contained information of a man seeking recipes to cook a juvenile West Indies Manatee that he had butchered and was keeping in his freezer for a Christmas feast. Lieutenant Soverel investigated the case and obtained a subpoena. Investigator Ornold obtained a search warrant and searched the suspect’s residence in Fort Pierce two days before Christmas, but no manatee meat or parts were found. The suspect admitted his emails were a hoax and that alcohol was involved.

SOUTH REGION B

COLLIER COUNTY

Investigators responded to a boating accident on Lake Trafford after a report that a seventy-year-old fisherman fell overboard. The boat operator attempted to rescue his friend, but was unsuccessful. A joint search effort with Collier County Sheriff’s Office resulted in recovering the deceased victim on Christmas Eve. The boating accident investigation continues.

Lieutenant Wayne Maahs and Officer Doyle Cook responded to a boating accident at Panther Key in the Ten Thousand Islands Refuge after a forty foot crab boat ran aground twenty yards into the mangroves. Officer Cook is leading the boating accident investigation that includes multiple violations and he will also assist the Department of Environmental Protection with violations involving environmental damages.

Lieutenant Wayne Maahs completed interviews with Crime Stoppers in Collier County that focused on the topic of two black bears that were intentionally killed this past year. Crime Stoppers airs on local news channels and highlights information on unsolved crimes. It is hoped that the program will reach a wide audience and generate information from the public that will help to solve the crime.

Officers David Barrett and Kurt Harris responded to a trap robbing complaint at Wiggins Pass resulting in an arrest for possession of thirteen undersize stone crab claws. The operator was transported to the Collier County Jail and the vessel was towed. The investigation is ongoing.

Officers Kurt Harris and Mark Shea responded to a single aircraft accident on the south side of Marco Island involving one fatality. The officers assisted Collier County Deputies recover evidence. The incident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.

MONROE COUNTY

Officer James Johnson responded to a report of subjects in the water clinging to an overturned vessel near American Shoal Light, resulting a succesful rescue of three subjects. The information was received from a private pilot flying over the area. When the officer arrived, he observed two teenagers on the platform at the base of the lighthouse and one adult male clinging to the ladder, unable to climb to safety. The teenagers appeared to be okay, but their father was tired and cold and later claimed that he “would not have made it out there for another hour.” Officer Johnson utilized several U.S. Coast Guard personnel to assist him in recovering the struggling adult, then instructed the teenagers to jump into the water where he was able to retrieve them.


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