FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report November 3, 2017 through November 9, 2017

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report November 3, 2017 through November 9, 2017 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 Officers Matechik and Sauls were on patrol inspecting oyster boats in Eastpoint. They stopped at a seafood dealer and were informed that two subjects dropped off five bags of oysters and left without saying anything to the dealer. The dealer did not want to buy the oysters because they were visibly undersized. The dealer also knew who the oyster harvesters were and gave a written statement to the officers. The officers measured the bags of oysters and they ranged from 70-85% undersized. The officers also noticed that the Saltwater Product License (SPL) numbers did not match up to the harvesters. When they checked the numbers on the oyster tags, the numbers came back to no one. However, on the back of two of the tags were the names of the harvesters. Charges will be direct filed on the two harvesters for undersized oysters and falsification of oyster tags. OKALOOSA COUNTY Officers Corbin and Pifer responded to a single vessel boating accident that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, just outside of the East Pass. The vessel involved was a 17-foot open console boat. Information was received that one of the five occupants was transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries. The US Coast Guard (USCG) responded by vessel and provided assistance by transporting the vessel and occupants to the Coast Guard Destin Station. Officer Corbin responded to the Coast Guard Station to conduct the investigation and Officer Pifer headed to the hospital to ascertain the severity of the injured occupant. Based upon the investigation, Officer Corbin determined the vessel was cruising west from the Destin Jetties, at half throttle, when the vessel was struck by a large wave causing the vessel to roll hard to the starboard side and ejecting three of the five occupants. The injured occupant sustained a laceration to the front side of her right leg above her ankle. She also sustained a laceration to the back of her right upper arm. This boating accident is currently under investigation. Officer Nichols responded to call concerning a small black bear cub trapped in a commercial dumpster at a Fort Walton Beach business location. There was a female bear staying close to the dumpster. When the officer arrived, the bears had retreated into a wooded area. Officer Nichols spoke with some employees of the business concerning the bears and inspected the dumpster for bear resistance compliance measures. The dumpster was not secured and the business owner was provided with an educational bear brochure and issued a non-compliance notification letter. SANTA ROSA COUNTY Officer Hutchinson contacted the Department of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) and informed them about an illegal moonshine still that he and Lieutenant Hahr located while investigating a deer poaching case. After speaking with an investigator and passing along the information to them, they drove to the suspect’s residence where the still was located. They contacted the suspect who admitted to possessing the still and making moonshine. While speaking with the suspect, the officers observed two more whiskey stills near his shed. They gained consent to search the property and with the help of two other ABT investigators, they located other items used to make moonshine. A felony warrant was later issued for the suspect’s arrest for the possession of the illegal moonshine stills. While on patrol in the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Officer Mullins observed subjects at a state forest primitive recreation area. Officer Mullins spoke with the subjects and discovered one subject was in possession of cannabis, drug paraphernalia and alcohol in a posted “no alcohol area.” The subject was issued a citation for possession of cannabis under 20 grams. Officer Ramos concluded an investigation leading to the arrest of a Navarre resident for the unlawful taking of a black bear shot in a resident’s yard in October. A thorough investigation of evidence and statements provided by witnesses and involved parties was reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office. The presiding judge concurred with the arrest affidavit and approved the arrest warrant. The suspect was booked into the county jail for the unlawful taking of a black bear. ESCAMBIA COUNTY Detectives with the Pensacola Police Department began an investigation during September into what was originally reported as a missing persons case. As the case developed, detectives began to suspect foul play and, through their investigation, believed that the victim was possibly located on a farm in Cantonment. Pensacola Police Department requested assistance from FWC due to the wooded terrain in the area and the FWC’s expertise in this type of landscape. Officers McHenry, Pettey and Hoomes responded to assist with locating the victim. After an extensive search which included heavily wooded and wetland areas, the officers located the victim’s remains. The discovery of the remains led to an arrest of a suspect by the Pensacola Police Department.

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