FWC Division of Law Enforcement. Weekly Report June 20 - June 26, 2014

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1 FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report June 20 - June 26, 2014 This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Patrol, Protect, Preserve

2 NORTHWEST REGION ESCAMBIA COUNTY Investigator Goley was conducting marine resource and boating safety checks at Big Lagoon State Park when he noticed the operator of a vessel showing signs of impairment. After the initial contact, Investigator Goley asked the operator to submit to field sobriety tasks and he agreed. During the tasks, the operator exhibited signs of impairment to the extent that he was impaired. The subject was placed under arrest for BUI. After arriving at the jail nearly two hours later, the subject provided two breath samples of and BrAC. Investigator Shafer responded to a complaint of a business being in possession of a venomous reptile without the proper permit. Investigator Shafer contacted the business owner and interviewed him about the matter. The owner admitted to capturing an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake and placing it in captivity. Investigator Shafer issued the subject a citation for not having the proper permit. Officer Cushing was conducting Joint Enforcement Agreement (JEA) patrol near the shore when he conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel with three individuals on board. When asked how many fish they caught, they responded two. He asked them what kind and they said they had two red snapper. The fisheries inspection revealed two red snapper, an undersized and out of season greater amberjack and an undersized cobia. Citations were issued to the individuals. The crew of the offshore vessel, FinCat, worked offshore on several occasions in the last week. After several vessel inspections, a citation was issued for no charter license. Also issued were several warnings for undersized red snapper, undersized king mackerel, and possession of greater amberjack during closed season. GULF COUNTY Officer McMillion was on patrol in the Apalachicola Wildlife and Environmental Area near the Saul s Creek Boat Ramp, when he observed a vessel approaching with two subjects on board. Officer McMillion approached the two men and asked them if they had caught any fish. The individuals opened their cooler which was full of fish. Officer McMillion asked the two men how many they had caught and they said they didn t know. As Officer McMillion began counting the panfish, one of the two men said, I ll save you some time. There are more than a hundred in the cooler. Officer McMillion counted a total of 139 panfish, which is 39 fish over the daily bag limit. Citations were issued to both subjects for possession of over the bag limit of panfish. OKALOOSA COUNTY Officer Molnar and Okaloosa County Sheriff s Deputy Culberson were recognized by Sheriff Ashley and Army 7 th Special Forces Group (Airborne). They were tasked to use a side-scan sonar on a FWC vessel to find a lost piece of US Army equipment in the Santa Rosa Sound. The Special Forces Group divers were assigned, post mission, to recover the lost boat motor from an aerial insertion in a two mile operating zone. They spent two days searching without 2

3 success. Officer Molnar and Deputy Culberson located a four to five foot object for the Special Forces divers to inspect. The item was successfully recovered. The two were each awarded with a certificate and a 7 th SFG (Airborne) challenge coin. COP (Community Oriented Policing) Captain Rondeau attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly opened Mahogany Mill Boat Ramp in Pensacola. The boat ramp project was partnered by FWC, DEP, and Escambia County Marine Resources as one of Deep Water Horizon restoration projects. The event was well attended and multiple people were recognized for their involvement in the project. NORTH CENTRAL REGION ALACHUA COUNTY Officer Stanley was contacted by an Alachua County Deputy who witnessed a pickup truck stop abruptly on CR-325 at Grove Park WMA. The passenger jumped out and picked up a gopher tortoise and placed it in the bed of the pickup truck. The deputy stopped the pickup truck several miles down the road and held the occupants until Officer Stanley arrived. Officer Stanley issued a criminal citation for the possession of gopher tortoise. The driver was also given a warning for driving on a suspended license without knowledge. Office Stanley was patrolling a property in Alachua County known for trespassing when he approached two individuals fishing at a lake on the property. Neither of the individuals had a valid fishing license. A records check showed that both individuals were convicted felons and on probation. One of the individuals had a 9mm pistol in his possession. Infractions were issued for no valid freshwater fishing license and criminal citations were issued for trespassing. Charges were filed with the state attorney s office for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. CITRUS COUNTY Lieutenant Loyed responded to a search and rescue in Citrus County WMA. There were three hikers who had been lost and could not find their way out of the woods. They had been walking for approximately four hours when Lieutenant Loyed spoke with them on the phone and figured out their location by the description of the area where they were lost. He advised the subjects to stay where they were and the three subjects were found within 20 minutes of Lieutenant Loyed s arrival. All three subjects were fine and only needed water and a ride. CLAY COUNTY Officers Justus and Bryan along with Lieutenant Glover received a tip in reference to three subjects taking a deer out of season and posting pictures on Facebook posing with the dead deer. Lieutenant Glover observed the picture on Facebook and was able to identify all three subjects listed in the posting. The officers located all three subjects at their residences and conducted interviews to determine if a crime had been committed. Through subsequent interviews it was determined that at approximately 2:30 a.m., the three subjects were riding in 3

4 one of the subjects vehicle when a deer was spotted off a county road in Clay County and was taken illegally out of season and at night. Charges are pending after all the facts are reviewed by the state s attorney office. DUVAL COUNTY Lieutenant Arkin was patrolling the Mandarin Park Boat Ramp when he pulled up alongside a vehicle in the parking area that had just driven in to park. The driver immediately said a curse word and jumped back in the vehicle. In his conversation with the driver, Lieutenant Arkin learned that the individual s driver s license was suspended. Lieutenant Arkin also spoke with the female passenger who gave him a fictitious name. Lieutenant Arkin later discovered the passenger s true name and learned that she has a felony warrant for violation of probation with reference to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. After being read the Miranda Warning, both subjects admitted that they are addicted to prescription drugs. During a consensual search of the vehicle, Lieutenant Arkin found numerous used and unused syringes. Some of the syringes contained an unknown liquid. There were bent metallic spoons with residue, filters, as well as a plastic baggy with residue of a white crystallized powder. All of the drug paraphernalia is being sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for analysis to determine the content of the residue. The driver was cited with a notice to appear for driving while license suspended (DWLS). The passenger was arrested in compliance with the warrant and for giving a fictitious name to law enforcement while being detained. Further charges are pending. NASSAU COUNTY Officer Griffis was notified by a complainant that a deer was missing from her game farm and there were rumors in the neighborhood that several juvenile individuals shot it and took it from the property. A photo of the harvested deer was subsequently posted on Instagram. Officers Griffis and Waldo made contact with the individual in the photo and interviewed him with two other individuals. One individual confessed to shooting the deer and his account of the incident varied from the other two involved who were interviewed previously. The other two individuals were interviewed once more, with one confessing to helping to take the deer, however, the other denied direct involvement. Officer Sweat also assisted in several interviews. Charges of grand theft, felony trespass while armed and principal in the first degree will be filed with the state attorney's office against the three individuals. COP (Community Oriented Policing) Officer McDonald gave a presentation to approximately 25 children at the Little Red School House in Lake City. The presentation consisted of Officer McDonald bringing a small alligator for the children to see as well as talking about the dangers of alligators. Lieutenant Kiss gave a presentation to some elementary school children at Lake City Middle School. The children are participating in a summer program sponsored by the Columbia County Sheriff s Office. Lieutenant Kiss brought a boat and discussed numerous aspects of a FWC Officer s job which includes boating and hunting safety. Approximately 45 children attended the presentation. 4

5 Officer Boone gave a boating safety presentation to the children and adults participating in the Suwannee County Sheriff s Office Annual Summer Camp hosted at Branford High School. Officer Boone had a patrol vessel on site, and discussed the many aspects of proper boating safety practices. Approximately 40 children and adults were in attendance. Lieutenant Loyed took two Citrus County reporters on a ride-along in Crystal River. He answered many questions about boating safety, scallop season and Operation Dry Water. The two reporters were very thankful for the ride-along and will be writing an article in the near future. NORTHEAST REGION VOLUSIA COUNTY Officer McDonough, Officer Malicoat and Officer Bertolami conducted several JEA patrols offshore in federal waters from the 12 meter patrol boat. Numerous vessel stops and inspections were recorded. Two recreational fishing vessels were found to be in possession of red snapper during the federal closure. One commercial bandit rig vessel was found to be in possession of red snapper hidden aboard. All vessel operators were issued the applicable federal citations. Officer Meurlot was in plain clothes and observed an individual selling saltwater products and shrimp from the back of his pickup truck next to local businesses in the Port Orange area. Meurlot questioned the adult male for the applicable license, however he was unable to provide the saltwater retail products license required by law. He was issued a citation and a notice to appear. Local coastal shoreline fisheries compliance inspections resulted in criminal citations issued for possession of undersized mangrove snapper on two occasions and possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis. ST. JOHNS COUNTY Officers Miller and Hickman were on JEA vessel patrol just after sunrise off the southern coast of St. Johns County. Hickman boarded a 33 foot shrimping vessel out of Duval County which was trawling east of the Butler Beach area of the county. Vessels can trawl for shrimp in near shore (within one mile of the coast) waters only if they are dragging no more than two nets, each of which can t have a mouth circumference greater than 66 feet and no more than 500 square feet of net mesh. The officers escorted the shrimp vessel into the ICW and subsequently measured its nets at the temporary dock at the Vilano Beach fishing pier. The port net measured 2, square feet and the starboard net measured 2, square feet; both in violation of the net ban and considered a flagrant violation because of each net being over 2,000 square feet. The officers seized the unlawful nets and advised the captain that he would be notified of a court date after consultation with the State Attorney s Office for the violation of trawling oversized nets in near shore waters. SEMINOLE COUNTY 5

6 Lieutenant Smith observed a pickup truck headed east on State Road 46, approaching the St. John s River. Lieutenant Smith observed the truck operating in a reckless manner, at a speed of 80 MPH. Lieutenant Smith stopped the truck at the Cameron Wight Boat Ramp and found the driver to be operating under the influence of alcohol, with a suspended driver s license. Lieutenant Smith arrested the driver and charged him with DUI, reckless driving, driving while license suspended (DWLS/R), and seven counts of felony violation of probation. SOUTH REGION A BROWARD COUNTY Officers Strader and Read performed a Quality Control Inspection on a local retail seafood market that was found to be noncompliant, due to an expired Class III license to exhibit and sell amphibians and non-venomous reptiles. An infraction was issued to the seafood department manager on duty. While on water patrol Officer Wright was flagged down by a Customs Border Patrol (CBP) boat. They advised him that they had a vessel that was in possession of queen conch. Officer Wright went over to inspect the conch on the boat. Officer Wright cited the operator for possession of queen conch. There was a total of 78 pieces. Officer Warne and Officer Carman responded to an alligator complaint in Cooper City. When Officers Warne and Carman arrived at the residence there were Broward Sheriff s Office deputies on scene, with an approximately 5 1/2 foot American alligator that was tied on the bank of the canal at the resident s house. The owner of the house admitted to catching it with a rope. Officer Warne took the alligator and attempted to release it in the everglades. Upon further examination of the alligator, it was determined that the alligator was most likely captured with a hook. There was a metal cable leading down the alligator s throat. The alligator s health condition was deteriorating due to it being caught with a hook, and it had to be euthanized on scene. Officer Warne and Officer Carman then responded back to the owner s residence to conduct an interview. Once the officers determined that the alligator was caught with a hook and not just a rope the owner was issued a citation for taking the American alligator without a permit. Officer Vacin performed a vessel inspection at 15 th Street Boat Ramp in Fort Lauderdale. During the inspection the operator advised that they had caught some dolphin. Officer Vacin inspected the catch and found seven undersized dolphins. The operator was cited and the dolphins were seized as evidence. PALM BEACH COUNTY Officer Haynes noticed a vehicle parked by a gate in the Hungryland WMA. The gate the vehicle was parked at is not a legal entry point. Officers Stone and Guerin also stopped to investigate. After a short search in the woods, Haynes observed a male subject and a black and tan hunting dog. As he approached them, the subject saw Officer Haynes and turned away and walked into the woods. Haynes located the subject and escorted him back to his 6

7 vehicle. After a brief interview, the subject admitted to lying about not having a gun. Haynes went back to the area where the subject went into the woods and found a.40 caliber handgun on the ground. While Officer Stone made the weapon safe, Officer Haynes cited the subject for illegal entry into the management area and possession of a dog in the management area. The subject had to call for a ride as his driver s license was suspended. ST. LUCIE COUNTY Officer Willems was on road patrol when he was approached by a motorist who had just witnessed three individuals unloading an ATV at one of the local beach accesses. Given the description and location of the truck Officer Willems was able to locate it, and follow the tracks from an ATV away from the truck and through the dune area to the beach. Once on the beach the ATV was located along with three males coming out of the water with spear guns. Officer Willems approached the males and was able to confirm the identity of the operator of the ATV, who was also in possession of three sheepsheads, all of which were undersized. The operator of the ATV was issued a citation for driving in a coastal dune area, and also for the undersized sheepshead. The driver and another individual were also issued warnings for no fishing licenses. The operator s driver s license was confiscated due to it being revoked. SOUTH REGION B COLLIER COUNTY Officer Van Trees was on water patrol in Naples Bay when he conducted a boating safety check on a vessel and found that the vessel did not have enough serviceable life vests, no sound producing device and the registration was expired. Officer Van Trees observed numerous fishing rods and reels on board the vessel along with two coolers and proceeded with a fisheries inspection. The operator received citations for possession of undersized snook, possession of snook out of season and possession of undersized mangrove snapper. The operator also received four warnings for the boating safety issues. Officers Van Trees and Johnson were on land patrol adjacent to the Jolley Bridge on Marco Island when they approached a subject to conduct a fisheries and license inspection. The subject indicated that he did not have a fishing license with him, but that he did have other identification. Upon opening a book bag to retrieve the identification, Officer Van Trees noticed a marijuana smell and the subject admitted to smoking some earlier. Officer Van Trees also noticed a medicine bottle in the book bag to which the subject feigned innocence of its existence. Then the subject handed Officer Van Trees a plastic bag containing marijuana from the book bag and took off running with the medicine bottle. Officer Van Trees was able to catch up to the subject and subdue him, but not before the subject took the top of the medicine bottle and threw it into the adjacent waterway. The subject was issued a citation for the felony and misdemeanor infractions and taken to jail. MONROE COUNTY Lieutenant Riesz and Officer Munkelt were on water patrol in the area of Long Key. A vessel returning from offshore with three people on board was stopped and boarded for an inspection. 7

8 The captain advised that they had their limit of dolphin on board. A resource inspection found the occupants to be over the bag limit. In addition, a bag of small dolphin fillets was found hidden. Citations were issued for the violations. Officers Robb and Colin were dispatched to an unusual call where the complainant was reporting to have found a large snake inside one of his vehicles. When the officers arrived, they discovered an 8 foot boa constrictor alive and unharmed in the cab of the vehicle. The snake was turned over to a rehab facility for care. Officer Munkelt was patrolling the waters of Key Largo when she saw a group of people in the water snorkeling without a divers down flag. Officer Munkelt requested the assistance of Officer Mattson who was nearby patrolling in a marked unit. As Officer Mattson approached the group in the water, they began to frantically gesture to one of the subjects who was in possession of a spear gun. A check of the subjects catch bag revealed one undersized hog fish. The subject was cited for spear fishing in the upper Keys and for possession of an undersized hog fish. 8