FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report February 26 through March 4, 2016

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 Weekly Report

February 26 through March 4, 2016

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

NORTHWEST REGION

CASES

FRANKLIN COUNTY

While working offshore and south of Little St. George Island in the Patrol Vessel Guardian, the crew consisting of Lieutenant Marlow, Officers Nelson, and Boutwell observed several shrimping vessels.  They noticed that one of the vessels appeared to be in nearshore waters and approximately just inside of two nautical miles from shore.  The Guardian pulled up to the stern of the vessel and observed the shrimping gear being drawn back into the vessel.  They noticed that the nets appeared to be very large.  Further inspection of the trawl nets resulted in the nets being significantly oversized.  The appropriate charges were issued to the vessel captain and the nets were seized as evidence.

While working offshore and south of Franklin County in federal waters in the Patrol VesselGuardian, the crew consisting of Lieutenant Marlow, Officers Nelson and Boutwell stopped several vessels during the patrol.  One vessel stop resulted in an individual dumping red snapper fillets and parts overboard during the vessel’s approach.  The individual admitted to possessing red snapper during closed season, filleting the fish and dumping them overboard.  The individual was issued the appropriate charges.  Another vessel stop of a registered charter vessel resulted in three individuals possessing red snapper during closure and dumping seven of them overboard during the Guardian’s approach.  The three individuals confessed to the possession of red snapper, knowing that the season was closed, and dumping the fish overboard when they saw the patrol vessel.  The individuals were issued the appropriate charges for the violations.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

The Patrol Vessel Fincat was on patrol multiple days this week. Officers Allgood, Cushing, Land and Lieutenant Berryman, with assistance from Officer Tolbert, discovered multiple violations while on patrol in the Gulf of Mexico. As they approached one vessel for inspection, the subjects on board dumped multiple containers of fish and quickly moved away from their immediate location.The fish included closed-season red snapper and undersized gray triggerfish. Crew members netted many of the fish before making contact with the subjects on board. After completing their inspection, the officers issued five state misdemeanors. 

On another patrol, federal citations were issued to subjects on board two different vessels for undersized greater amberjack (26 and 28 inches) and over the bag limit of gray triggerfish.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Pifer and Corbin, while on vessel patrol, conducted saltwater resource and license inspections on several charter vessels returning to their wet slips in the Destin Harbor. The officers’ inspections revealed one vessel operator in possession of undersized gray triggerfish and a second vessel operator in possession of an undersized greater amberjack. Both vessel operators were cited for the resource violations. Later in the day, the officers conducted a resource and license inspection on a recreational vessel in the Ft. Walton Beach area. The officers’ inspection revealed three undersized greater amberjacks. Two individuals on board the vessel admitted catching the fish and were cited for the violation.

Officer Bartlett was assigned to investigate a complaint regarding a derelict vessel (DV) located at the Fort Walton Beach Landing along the north side of Santa Rosa Sound.  The DV is in a wrecked and junked condition and is hard aground, has no means of propulsion, the rudder is inoperable because the handle is broken off, and there is excessive barnacle growth.  The inside of the cabin of the DV is full of water.  Most of the railing on the vessel is dismantled and there are several holes in the aft deck exposing the vessel to the elements. On the stern of the vessel, there is a hole about one foot wide and two feet tall subjecting the vessel to take on water.  Officer Bartlett located the boat owner, the responsible person who left the DV in state waters.  After completing the DV process, the boat owner was cited for the derelict vessel violation.

Officer Lewis received a citizen complaint reference a dump site consisting of household garbage in Blackwater River State Forest.  The officer was able to locate a name and address in the garbage. The officer spoke with a resident at the address and the subject stated he did not dump any garbage.  The officer explained to the subject that he had more people to speak with about the garbage, gave him his contact information, and asked him if he would contact him if he heard anything or remembered anything.  Later the same day the subject contacted the officer, apologized for lying, and admitted he dumped the trash. The subject collected the trash, and deposited it at a local landfill.  The subject showed the officer his landfill receipt that showed the weight of the dumped garbage was 360 lbs.  Officer Lewis charged the subject with littering exceeding 15 pounds or 27 cubic feet but not exceeding 500 pounds or 100 cubic feet.

WALTON COUNTY

Over the past few months, Investigator Armstrong has been working a case involving illegal logging of deadhead and deadfall cypress trees around the Walton County area.  In December, Officers Brooks and White responded to a complaint on the Choctawhatchee River of suspicious activity involving a subject with a chain saw in the Choctawhatchee River Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The officers arrived at Tilley Landing just as two subjects arrived in a vessel towing several logs.  Officers Brooks and White documented the activity and issued a citation to the operator for a boating violation and then provided the information to Investigator Armstrong.  During the ensuing weeks, Investigator Armstrong followed up with the information and subsequently charged one subject with no Department of Environmental Protection dredge and fill permit and misdemeanor theft.  The subject recently accepted a plea agreement to one year of probation, nearly $800 in fines, and must write a letter of apology to the Department of Environmental Protection.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Hutchinson and Jernigan concluded an investigation regarding armed trespass and the illegal taking of an antlerless deer.  Officer Hutchinson received information about a subject trespassing on a hunting club.  The complainant advised that he heard a gunshot on their club.  He later located a vehicle parked at one of the gates in the same area where shot came from.  A short time later, a subject wearing camouflage walked out of the woods and claimed to have been looking for azaleas.  Later another subject wearing camouflage walked out of the same area but then ran back into the bushes and retrieved a hunting rifle.  Both subjects got in their truck and left the area in a hurry.  The complainant was able to get a tag number and a picture of the vehicle.  Officers Jernigan and Hutchinson went to the residence of the owner of the vehicle.  They were unable to make contact with the two subjects they were looking for but they were able to get information about the subjects’ whereabouts.  They went to another residence and observed a truck leaving.  They observed two men and two women in the truck and observed one of the men holding a rifle.  When the officers asked the passenger to step out of the vehicle, they observed a meth pipe lying in the seat where the passenger was sitting.  After further inspection of the vehicle, the officers located a large amount of illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia throughout the vehicle.  After questioning the subjects about the trespass, they admitted to trespassing on the hunting club and attempting to take a deer.  One of the subjects admitted to leaving his shotgun in the hunting club property so that he wouldn’t be caught with the gun.  The subject showed the officers where he concealed the shotgun.  Both subjects were hunting with a modern firearm during the late muzzle loading season.  The subjects denied shooting at a deer.  Three subjects were arrested and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail for the charges including possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of controlled substances (alprazolam and methamphetamine), possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The following day, the officers received information from the hunting club member that he had located a dead antlerless deer in the area where the two suspects were hunting.  The deer had multiple bullet holes in it consistent with being shot with buckshot.  Warrants were obtained charging the two male suspects with taking antlerless deer out of season, taking or attempting to take deer with a centerfire rifle during muzzle loading season, and armed trespass. 

 Officer Hutchinson observed a truck parked along a field edge just before dark.  He approached the truck and observed a hunter coming back to the truck from a nearby hunting blind.  When he stepped out from concealment and identified himself, the hunter immediately shouldered his rifle and pointed it at Officer Hutchinson, telling him that he would shoot him.  Officer Hutchinson took cover behind a tree as he ordered the man to drop his weapon.  The suspect jumped in his truck and fled the scene, stating that he was going back to Alabama.  Officer Hutchinson was unable to locate the suspect, but obtained a warrant charging him with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.  The suspect was arrested by the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force and is awaiting extradition.

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