FWC DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
WEEKLY REPORT
November 16-29, 2012
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.
NORTHWEST REGION
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Matt Cushing checked a fisherman as he returned to the 17th Avenue Boat Ramp in Pensacola. The individual claimed he had only caught white trout. Upon inspection, Officer Cushing located two harvested red snapper and one oversized red drum. The season is closed for red snapper. Officer Cushing issued notice to appear citations for possession of red snapper during closed season and for possession of oversized red drum.
While on vessel patrol, Officer Matt Cushing inspected a vessel near the Three Mile Bridge in Pensacola Bay. Officer Cushing found the operator of the vessel in possession of an oversized red drum. A notice to appear citation was issued for the violation.
Officer Faris Livesay was working hunting complaints in the Beulah area when he heard a single gunshot. Officer Livesay went to the area he believed the shot originated, waited for a short time, and observed a vehicle drive into the area. When the vehicle exited the wooded area, Officer Livesay made contact and spoke with the two occupants. The driver was dressed in camouflage but the passenger was not. Neither individual was in possession of a firearm at the time of initial contact. After speaking to the individuals, Officer Livesay determined that the person dressed in camouflage shot a doe deer with a shotgun. It was archery only season. The suspect then went to the other individual’s home and asked for help to drag the deer out of the woods. Officer Livesay located the doe deer and seized related items for evidence. This week, Officer Livesay obtained a warrant on the driver for possession of a deer showing evidence of being illegally taken.
Investigator Rob Goley responded to a call for assistance by the Florida Highway Patrol regarding a vehicle they had stopped for several traffic violations on I-10 near the Alabama/Florida state line. Upon arrival, Investigator Goley discovered the stopped truck contained numerous alligators. The driver of the truck produced FWC permits, which were expired. Investigator Shelby Williams also responded to assist. The investigation is ongoing, with possible charges pending.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Ken Manning and Lt. Dan Hahr located a man hunting near scattered corn within Blackwater WMA. The man advised them that his friend was hunting nearby, as well. While Officer Manning spoke to the first subject, Lieutenant Hahr located the second subject asleep in a tree stand. As Lieutenant Hahr approached, the man woke up and saw him. When Lieutenant Hahr asked him if he was hunting over corn, the man looked behind him and then replied that he had not put any out yet. Lieutenant Hahr located freshly scattered corn approximately 25 yards away in the direction the man had looked. Both men were issued notices to appear for hunting over bait in a management area. The first man was hunting with a modern firearm and had several prior felony convictions. The muzzleloading rifle was seized and charges are pending for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
FWC officers and supervisors assigned to Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties conducted a special operation for opening of general gun – quota hunt within the Blackwater WMA. Officers and supervisors targeted illegal hunting activity. During the detail, officers worked 525 hours, checked 859 users, issued 40 citations and warnings, and responded to several calls for service. Violations ranged from hunting over bait within the management area, possession of firearm by convicted felon, operating vehicle on closed roads, and failure to possess required licenses and permits.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Officer Sulin Schafer received a call from Eglin Range Patrol regarding an illegal deer that had been taken by a hunter. When Officer Schafer responded, she observed the deer did not have the three antler points on one side that is required in that area of Eglin. The hunter was issued a notice to appear for the violation and the deer was seized and donated to an approved charitable organization.
On November 27, at approximately 3 a.m., Officer Ken Manning and Lt. Dan Hahr, working with NOAA Officer Grant Demesillo, conducted an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) inspection on a commercial fishing vessel near Destin. After the vessel docked, the captain and deckhand offloaded approximately 600 pounds of red snapper and triggerfish. The offload of fish is prohibited between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., and commercial harvest of triggerfish is closed. When the subjects attempted to leave in their vehicle, they were stopped and the officers conducted an inspection of the vehicle and vessel. The captain stated that he was transporting the fish to Alabama where they would be sold. During the inspection, drug paraphernalia and counterfeit 20 dollar bills were located in the vehicle. The deckhand admitted the paraphernalia belonged to him. The investigation will continue regarding the drug paraphernalia and counterfeit money. The captain was issued a federal notice of violation for offloading IFQ fish during prohibited hours and for failure to possess a dealer transaction number before transporting fish.
Officer Danny Arnette received a complaint about a game trail camera and feeder being stolen from private property. Officer Arnette tracked vehicle sign from the property to a residence, where he later identified two subjects with the missing items. The camera and feeder will be returned to the owner. Charges are pending.
Officer Andy Maltais recently received a favorable court disposition on a case he made during the Labor Day weekend. Officer Maltais observed a subject in a 40‑foot pleasure craft vessel traveling at a high rate of speed in a narrow congested channel. The subject vessel continually weaved in and out of the congested area, spraying and waking vessels with huge waves. The wake of the subject vessel was so large that several vessels became swamped and had to leave the channel to avoid an accident and sinking. Many of the other vessel operators in the channel observed this subject vessel and left the channel fearing for their safety. The vessel operator, charged with reckless operation, was convicted of the misdemeanor offense, sentenced to six months probation, ordered to pay $375 in fines, and required to complete a boater safety course.
JACKSON COUNTY
K-9 Officer Mike Guy was patrolling a hunting lease where he had received several complaints of subjects continually trespassing and night hunting. On his second night of surveillance, he observed a vehicle enter the hunting lease just before midnight. The subjects in the vehicle attached a magnetic remote controlled “Go-Light” to the cab of the truck and proceeded to spotlight the entire hunting lease, including the food plots and feeding stations. When Officer Guy left his concealed position to stop the vehicle, the passenger exited the vehicle and attempted to hide the light in the woods. Once stopped, the two subjects were found to be in possession of a loaded .223 caliber tactical rifle. Citations were issued for violating the night hunting deer statute.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
During the holiday weekend, Officers Lane Kinney and Larry Morris responded to the Choctawhatchee River to assist two subjects who overturned their canoe while duck hunting. The two subjects were unable to right their canoe and exit the water and requested our assistance. Upon arriving and getting the subjects out of the water, the officers discovered the subjects had overturned their canoe in a large amount of submerged corn, which they had placed in the water to attract ducks. The two subjects were short on life jackets, a state duck stamp, and a federal duck stamp. Appropriate citations were issued for the hunting and boating safety violations.
BAY COUNTY
Officers Nick Price and Dennis Palmer followed up on information they received concerning subjects trespassing on a private lease. On the opening day of gun season, two individuals were found in two separate locations and were each charged with trespass.
GULF COUNTY
Investigator Drew Nelson responded to a boating accident that resulted in a fatality on the Intracoastal Waterway at Searcy Creek. A subject fell out of a vessel while fishing and subsequently drowned. The investigation is ongoing.
Officers Arnie McMillion and Neal Goss worked a late night detail on Thanksgiving night in an effort to curtail illegal gill net fishing on St. Joe Bay. After locating a suspicious vehicle launching a vessel at an out-of-the-way boat ramp, they summoned the assistance of Investigator Tony Lee to conduct surveillance in the area. At approximately 5 a.m., a vessel returned to the ramp area where the officers observed two subjects offload something onto a nearby island. The officers conducted an inspection, which revealed approximately 600 pounds of pompano, sheepshead, and Spanish mackerel. Further investigation revealed a large monofilament gill net that had been placed at the water’s edge at the island where the officers observed the vessel offload something. Both individuals were arrested for the unlawful use of a monofilament entangling net in state waters, and transported to the Gulf County Jail.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Officers Terry Martin and Matt Gore conducted inspections on a couple of hunters hunting dove in a field. The inspection revealed that the field had been baited with cracked corn. The two hunters were issued misdemeanor citations for this violation and for hunting dove during closed season.
While working the illegal night harvest of oysters near West Pass, Officer John Allen spotted a shrimp vessel inside the three-mile line with what appeared to be three nets in the water. The inspection confirmed Officer Allen’s observations, and a misdemeanor citation was issued to the captain of the vessel for the violation.
While on patrol, Officer Matt Gore spotted a vehicle driving through Eastpoint loaded with bags of oysters. Officer Gore did not see any shade over the oysters and initiated a stop to speak with the harvesters about the violation. During the inspection, Officer Gore was assisted by Officer Steven Cook. The inspection revealed not only were the oysters unshaded, but they were also untagged. The officers seized approximately 40 bags of oysters and the two harvesters were issued misdemeanor citations for possession of unshaded oysters and untagged bags.
While conducting fisheries inspections on the St. George Island Fishing Pier, Officer John Allen found an angler who stated that he had only one fish in his cooler. An inspection revealed that the angler was in possession of six spotted sea trout, all of which were undersized. The angler also failed to buy a saltwater fishing license. The angler was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of undersized spotted sea trout and warnings for being over the bag limit and possessing no saltwater fishing license.
Officers Terry Martin, Matt Gore, and Tyler Akos were conducting decoy deer operations in the Tate’s Hell WMA during the opening four days of general gun season. One of the contacts made was with a hunter who had been cited by Officer Martin during last year’s general gun season for taking antlerless deer. The hunter failed to appear for his court date on that charge and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. When asked by the officers why he did not appear for his previous court date, he responded that he had forgotten about it. The man was placed under arrest and transported to the Franklin County Jail.
While on patrol at Alligator Point, Officer John Allen stopped to help some anglers who were returning from surf fishing and had bogged down their vehicle in the sand. After helping the anglers free their vehicle from the sand, Officer Allen asked if they had caught any fish during their outing. The anglers replied, “Not really.” An inspection of their cooler revealed a 37‑inch red drum. The anglers stated that the fish had just been given to them by someone else. Officer Allen stated he had not seen anyone else fishing in the area or anyone leaving the area other than them. At that point, one of the anglers assumed responsibility for the fish. The angler was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of oversized red drum and the fish was seized.
While on patrol, Officer Matt Gore was traveling behind a truck pulling a boat and trailer. Officer Gore noticed the boat trailer had no brake lights and the tag expired in 2007. Without being directed by Officer Gore, the truck suddenly pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. As Officer Gore pulled in behind the truck, he activated his blue lights and the male operator exited and began walking to the back of the truck. The operator was unsteady and displaying signs of impairment. Officer Gore instructed the operator to stand at the back of the truck. At this time, a female passenger got behind the wheel and attempted to drive away, stalling the truck. As a result of Officer Gore’s investigation, both the male and female operators were arrested for DUI, as well as driving while license suspended/revoked. A third passenger in the vehicle was arrested on a warrant for possession of undersized oysters. While conducting an inventory of the vehicle and vessel for towing, several open beer cans and an open bottle of whiskey were found. Two large monofilament gill nets were also located in the vessel. Officer Percy Cook responded to assist.
Later in the week, Officer Matt Gore was off duty, duck hunting on Lake Wimico. Officer Gore observed a group of hunters who appeared to be taking over the bag limit of ducks. Without revealing his identity, Officer Gore engaged the hunters in idle conversation and determined that they had launched from the White City boat ramp. Officer Gore contacted an investigator to conduct surveillance at the boat ramp while he returned to his home to go on duty. Officer Gore was able to make it to the White City Boat ramp before the hunters returned. As a result of the efforts of Officer Gore and the investigator, two notices to appear were issued for possession of migratory birds (ducks) without a head and wing attached and obligation to permit search. Twenty-six duck breasts were seized and placed into evidence. Two written warnings were issued for failure to properly tag migratory birds.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Officer Tyler Harrison and K-9 Officer Chase Yarborough were patrolling Flint Rock WMA when they observed an individual shoot at an illegal deer. The officers stopped the individual and cited him for attempting to take the deer.
GADSDEN COUNTY
Lt. Harry Parker issued a citation to a Gadsden County man for possession of over the limit of bream in the Little River area of Lake Talquin. The individual was in possession of 79 fish, 29 over the legal limit.
Plain-clothes Officer Chris Jones was on patrol on Little River, working information received about individuals catching undersized and over the bag limit of crappie. Officer Jones observed some individuals fishing in the river and started a general conversation. During the exchange, he noticed fish that were separated. Some were in a bucket and some were behind the fisherman in a plastic bag and some were thrown into the bushes. It appeared that the fisherman was trying to conceal certain fish. Officer Jones identified himself and conducted a resource check on the individuals. During the check, five undersized crappie were located. The fishermen were cited, and one was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Gadsden County.
Officer Chris Jones was dispatched to a trespass call. During his investigation, he located an unsupervised 13‑year‑old male hunting deer with a .22 magnum in a neighborhood. The juvenile’s grandfather (guardian) was contacted, who stated he thought his grandson was hunting squirrels in the backyard. Officer Jones was able to determine that the young man had been hunting by himself for about three hours unsupervised in the neighborhood, and the grandfather did not know where his grandson was. After meeting with the State Attorney, Officer Jones was instructed to issue warrants for the grandfather.
LEON COUNTY
Plain-clothes Officer Chris Jones was working dock fishermen on Lake Talquin. At one public dock, he observed two individuals put what appeared to be undersized crappie in a bucket. During the surveillance, he counted numerous fish of questionable size placed in the bucket. A resource inspection revealed five undersized crappie. The individual was cited and the fish were returned back to the water.
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