FWC Law Enforcement Report

January 24, 2016

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending January 21 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Over the last couple of weeks, Officer Livesay has been working a site in Perdido River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) that was baited with sweet potatoes. This week, he made contact with the hunter who he suspected put the bait out. The hunter admitted to putting the bait out and deer hunting at the baited site. Officer Livesay issued the subject a notice to appear criminal citation for placing bait in a WMA.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Hutchinson received a phone call late at night from a Santa Rosa County Deputy who had stopped a truck in the Munson Seed Orchard within the Blackwater WMA. The deputy observed two subjects in the bed of the truck and found a shotgun they tried to hide from view. Officer Hutchinson arrived on scene and interviewed the three juveniles. All three eventually admitted to trying to kill a deer and explained their plans to the officers. The juveniles’ parents were contacted and all three were given notices to appear for attempting to take deer at night with a gun and light.

Officer Hutchinson received information that a subject had two tree stands in his yard and had supposedly stolen them from a closed section of Blackwater WMA. While discussing it with his squad mates, Officer Hutchinson was informed by Officer Lewis that some stands and blinds were stolen from a section of Blackwater where the Florida Forest Service holds their Annual Wounded Warrior Hunt. The wounded veterans who had hunted there over the last few days went in to hunt and found their stands missing. Officers Lewis and Hutchinson went to the suspect’s home and observed a tree stand that fit the description of the stolen property. After interviewing the suspect, two additional suspects were identified, as well as another subject who bought one of the stands. After several interviews, the officers determined that the three suspects went hunting in the Emachamee closed area in Blackwater and stole two tree stands, a ground blind and more blind material. Two of the three suspects broke a lock off of a gate to enter the property. Charges of grand theft and criminal mischief were filed with the court and warrants were issued for the three suspects.

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. Information provided by FWC.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News