FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report December 18, 2015 thru December 31, 2015

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) FWC Division of Law Enforcement   Weekly Report December 18, 2015 thru December 31, 2015 This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past two weeks; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Patrol, Protect, Preserve NORTHWEST REGION JACKSON COUNTY Officers Baber and Burkhead responded to a complaint from a landowner who found a large pile of trash and household debris dumped on his property. The officers identified the house from where the trash originated. The officers learned the house had been foreclosed on. Through the foreclosure company, the officers identified a company that was responsible for maintenance of the property. Upon interviewing the owner of this company, they identified the individual who dumped the trash. At the direction of the local State Attorney, the suspect was charged with felony commercial dumping. Officer Baber responded to a complaint from a landowner who heard two shots on his property. Officer Baber located the suspect who had shot two doe deer from the roadway on the complainant’s property. Both deer and a 12‑gauge shotgun were seized as evidence. The suspect was charged with two counts of taking antlerless deer during the closed season and two counts of road hunting. Later that night, Officers Baber and Guy responded to another complaint from a landowner who saw a light being shined from a vehicle and heard two shots. The complainant saw the vehicle heading north, toward the Alabama state line after the shots were fired. When the officers arrived on scene, they found where a deer had been shot on the complainant’s property. The officers processed the scene to include photographing tire and foot tracks, collecting blood samples, and seizing two spent .243 rifle casings. The following day, Lieutenant B. Allen received a call from an Alabama officer who said he believed the suspect vehicle was at a work site near Webb, Alabama. Lieutenant Allen located the vehicle and noticed fresh blood on the bumper and a .243 rifle inside the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle was interviewed and he admitted that he and another suspect shot the deer the night before. Lieutenant Allen located the second suspect who also admitted to night hunting and shooting a deer the night before. A .243 rifle was seized as evidence and both suspects were charged with night hunting, road hunting and trespassing. Lieutenant Allen and Officer Forehand responded to a complaint from a landowner who saw a light being shined from a vehicle and heard a shot. The landowner got the tag number from the vehicle. The officers ultimately located the suspect and conducted an interview. The suspect admitted to night hunting and shooting at a deer on the complainant’s property. A 7MM-08 rifle, spent shell casing and spotlight were seized as evidence. The suspect was charged with night hunting, road hunting and trespassing. OKALOOSA COUNTY Officer Pifer was on vehicle patrol conducting hunting license and game inspections on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA).  He located a vehicle with a single occupant in the still hunt area of the WMA. The driver’s side door was open when Officer Pifer established contact with the driver.  The individual was in possession of firearms.  The Tallahassee Regional Communication Center confirmed the individual had a non-expiring domestic violence injunction prohibiting the individual from possessing firearms.  A citation was issued to the individual for possessing firearms while the subject of a domestic violence injunction. Officers Pifer and Corbin were patrolling the Eglin WMA conducting hunting license and game inspections when they observed a parked/unoccupied vehicle.  The Regional Communication Center confirmed the registered owner of the vehicle was the subject of a domestic violence injunction and prohibited from possessing firearms. The officers observed an empty gun case in the vehicle and made contact with the individual when he returned to his truck. The individual was wearing camouflage clothing along with an orange vest.  Officer Corbin seized a rifle and shotgun and charged the individual for possessing firearms while the subject of a domestic violence injunction. Officers Bartlett and Molnar received a call from Eglin Range Patrol regarding an antlerless deer being taken illegally on Eglin Reservation WMA.  Upon arrival, Officer Bartlett interviewed the individual.  The individual stated while he was hunting, he saw three bucks crossing the road and tried to harvest the legal size buck.  He stated he accidently shot the antlerless deer.  The individual was issued a citation for taking an antlerless deer during general gun season. Officer Pifer was patrolling the Eglin WMA when he observed a vehicle parked in one of the daily closed areas.  Officer Corbin arrived on scene to assist, and while at the vehicle, the officers heard a single gunshot south of their location in the closed area.  Officer Corbin stayed with the vehicle while Officer Pifer went to locate the hunter.  Several hundred yards into the woods, Officer Pifer located a hunter attempting to locate the deer that had been shot.  When asked, the individual stated that he did not check the public access map before entering the WMA.  The officers assisted the individual in locating a legal antlered deer.  They transported the individual and his deer back to his vehicle where he was cited for hunting in a closed area. SANTA ROSA COUNTY Officers Jones, Maltais and Pifer were conducting a detail in conjunction with FWC Law Enforcement Aviation section targeting early entry into the Eglin WMA. FWC Pilot Tolbert, who was patrolling the WMA by aircraft, contacted Officer Maltais that he had a visual on a vehicle driving in the WMA before legal hours.  Pilot Tolbert guided Officer Maltais to the vehicle’s location where he conducted a traffic stop.  There was a small hunting dog and a loaded shotgun in the cab passenger seat.  The driver did not possess a driver's license, Eglin hunting permit, hunting license nor a deer permit.  During the stop, Officer Pifer smelled the odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle. The individual stated that there was no cannabis in the vehicle because he had smoked it all.  During a search of the vehicle, Officer Pifer located a tobacco container which contained cannabis.  Officer Pifer cited the individual for early entry into the WMA and for possession of cannabis under 20 grams. Officer Hutchinson received a complaint about someone illegally dumping three deer carcasses on the side of the road near a gate to a hunt club. After speaking with the complainant, Officer Hutchinson learned of three male subjects who were bragging about killing three deer the day before the carcasses were discovered.  Officer Hutchinson located all three subjects at one of their residences and conducted interviews.  During the interviews, two of the subjects admitted to dumping the carcasses on the right of way.  Both subjects were issued criminal citations for littering (exceeding 15 pounds). Officer Hutchinson was patrolling near a hunting club when he observed a large amount of trash that had been illegally dumped on the right of way and on the hunting club property. While investigating, Officer Hutchinson found clues as to the identification of the owner.  Officer Hutchinson drove to the suspect’s house.  Once he arrived, he discovered that the residence was vacant.  He made contact with an informant who informed him that the person who was renting the residence and a friend were seen hauling off several large loads of trash just a few days before.  Officer Hutchinson made contact with one of the subjects and conducted an interview. The subject admitted to helping his friend illegally dump the trash.  Officer Hutchinson contacted the other subject and conducted an interview.  The second subject admitted to dumping the trash.  Both subjects were charged with littering exceeding 15 pounds. While on foot patrol in Blackwater River WMA, Officer Ramos located a type of tree stand that is commonly used for hunting deer.  A short distance away, the officer found a heap of fresh corn and noted that it was placed in a direct line of sight from the tree stand.  Officer Ramos continued surveillance on the area until he discovered a vehicle that had parked on the closed road nearby.  Officer Ramos approached the tree stand undetected and caught a man hunting there, directly facing the bait.  After a brief interview the man admitted to placing the bait in the management area to attract deer.  He was cited with taking wildlife on WMA lands upon which grain or other food has been deposited, and also issued two warnings for other violations.

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