Nine people were arrested in an alligator poaching operation that lasted years and uncovered more than 10,000 illegally harvested American alligator eggs.
- 9 people arrested in FWC gator poaching operation
- FWC set up alligator farm, worked with suspects
- Uncovered more than 10,000 illegally harvested eggs
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials set up a fully-functioning alligator farm in Arcadia in DeSoto County, with undercover officers living on property.
Over the years, the officers say they met several people dealing in illegally harvested gator eggs and illegally catching gators.
The officers say the illegal eggs and gators were being laundered through certain alligator farms. Some of the defendants even took the officers on hunts and illegally caught and sold gators.
"Many of these suspects were part of a criminal conspiracy,” said Maj. Grant Burton, head of the FWC’s Investigations Section. “Their crimes pose serious environmental and economic consequences. These suspects not only damage Florida’s valuable natural resources, they also harm law-abiding business owners by operating black markets that undermine the legal process.”
Nine people were arrested for 44 felony violations. But FWC says more arrests may be coming.
You can report suspected violations by calling the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
Here are the nine suspects and their charges:
Robert Kelly Albritton (DOB 01/21/1981) of Arcadia
- One felony count of Racketeering.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- One felony count of Scheme to Defraud.
- Fourteen felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs/Alligators.
Robert Thomas Beasley (DOB 02/05/1979) of Arcadia
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- Six felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs/Alligators.
David Wentworth Nellis (DOB 10/10/1943) of Punta Gorda
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- One felony count of Uttering a Forged Instrument.
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs.
Carl Wayne Pickle Jr. (DOB 12/22/1969) of Arcadia
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- Four felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs/Alligators.
Wayne Andrew Nichols (DOB 07/15/1975) of Arcadia
- Three felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Unlawful Killing of White Ibis.
- One first-degree misdemeanor count of Attempting to Take White Ibis.
Christopher Lee Briscall (DOB 01/28/1995) of Fort Denaud
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Matthew Edward Evors (DOB 10/20/1992) of Cape Coral
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Isaiah Joseph Romano (DOB 12/17/1994) of Fort Denaud
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Jacob Oliver Bustin-Pitts (DOB 11/11/1993) of Fort Denaud
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.