TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Attorney General James Uthmeier joined the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and local law enforcement to announce charges against 10 people accused of running an illegal commercial fishing operation. After a multi-year undercover investigation by FWC and the Office of Statewide Prosecution.
"We plan to leave Florida better to God than how we found it, and poachers abusing our natural resources will be prosecuted to the fullest extent," said Attorney General James Uthmeier. "Those who abuse our waters and wildlife will find out how tough our laws are. The Office of Statewide Prosecution, FWC, and our local law enforcement officers will ensure criminals are caught and punished."
"Florida's fisheries belong to all of us, and the rules exist to protect these resources and the fishermen who play by them," said Rodney Barreto, FWC Chairman. "I'm proud of the hard work and dedication of our undercover officers over the past four years. We need thorough enforcement, accurate reporting, and accountability to ensure Florida's fisheries remain healthy and sustainable for everyone."
"Commercial fishermen are an integral part of our communities and Florida's economy," said Director of FWC Division of Law Enforcement Col. Alberto Maza. "The actions of these poachers undermine Florida's resources, the livelihoods of law-abiding fishermen, and the interests of all Floridians. I'm incredibly proud of our investigators' commitment to protecting Florida's fisheries and fishing industry and their tireless work to bring these poaching fraudsters to justice."
"The natural resources found in our waters are so very important to our county and the livelihood of so many," said Franklin County Sheriff AJ "Tony" Smith. "The fish and turtles are more than part of our landscape; they are part of our way of life. When they are exploited and stolen, we take this personally. Our partnership with the Attorney General and FWC enables us to bring these people who do this justice. If you steal from Franklin County's resources, you are stealing from our community!"
"CCA Florida recognizes that the recreational anglers we advocate for are required to follow harvest limits," said CCA Florida Director of Government Relations Trip Aukeman. "We appreciate this operation's impact to hold accountable so that everyone enjoys Florida's fisheries."
The case started in May 2022, when investigators were looking into complaints about reef fish poaching in the Gulf of America, and one of the suspects approached them about buying illegally caught fish. Investigators say the group routinely caught far more red snapper and gag grouper than allowed, then dodged reporting requirements by selling fish dockside at night, out of their homes, or through on-the-water handoffs.
All told, the group is accused of poaching approximately 23,000 pounds of fish and selling more than $150,000 worth of fish, shrimp, and turtles illegally. Three of them—Terry Carrington, Anthony Folsom, and Jordan Neylan—also caught sea turtles, a protected species, and sold five of them (three adults and two hatchlings) to undercover officers.
The following suspects face multiple criminal charges:
- Kayla Ann Boak, 36, Bradenton (Manatee County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, and Cheating
- Terry Stephen Carrington Jr., 40, Port St. Joe (Gulf County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Possession or Sale of Marine Turtles, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Cheating
- David Eugene Echterling, 60, Eastpoint (Franklin County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Possession or Sale of Marine Turtles, and Cheating
- Anthony Emmett Folsom (fka Anthony Land), 22, Carrabelle (Franklin County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Possession or Sale of Marine Turtles, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Cheating
- Steven Hawley, 68, Eastpoint (Franklin County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Possession or sale of Marine Turtles, and Cheating
- Curtis Randolph Morse, 45, Gibsonton (Hillsborough County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Possession or Sale of Marine Turtles, and Cheating
- Jordan Neylan (Cagie), 31, Apalachicola (Franklin County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Possession or Sale of Marine Turtles, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Cheating
- Robert Register, 40, Carrabelle (Franklin County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Cheating
- Joe Frank Tessa III, 44, Largo (Pinellas County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Cheating
- Casey Lee Whitlock II, 20, Crawfordville (Wakulla County)–Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, and Cheating
If convicted as charged, the maximum sentence in the Florida Department of Corrections is 65 years for Boak and Morse; 70 years for Echterling, Hawley, Register, Tessa, and Whitlock; and 75 years for Carrington, Folsom, and Neylan.
Anyone who spots wildlife violations is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or report online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.