St. Lucie County man facing federal charges for stealing sea turtle eggs

A St. Lucie county man could be facing federal charges for stealing sea turtle eggs from a Florida beach.

Nearly 300 sea turtle eggs were returned to the beach and reburied Friday after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 55 year old James Odell McGriff poaching them from a beach in St. Lucie County.

This was not the first time McGriff had been caught for poaching turtle eggs.

In 2002, he was arrested after selling 12 eggs to an undercover officer and possessing 27 dozen pre-bagged eggs for sale.

He was caught Friday night after a concerned citizen reported what looked like a man stealing sea turtle eggs at the Diamond Sands beach off A1A.

FWC officers found McGriff as well as a disturbed sea turtle nest and a backpack full of sea turtle eggs.

All species of sea turtles are a protected – and bothering their turtles or their nests can come with serious penalties.

The FWC is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on this case and federal charges are pending.

If you ever see someone bothering a sea turtle or its nest, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922 or text Tip@MyFWC.com. 

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