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Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported that they arrested four Cuban men last Saturday for hunting on private land in Charlotte County without the owner's permission.
According to an arrest affidavit issued by the FWC, the suspects allegedly hunted repeatedly on the same private property located on Bermont Road, without the owner's consent.
The property belongs to Evans Properties Inc., and it has several "No Trespassing" signs placed at various locations.
According to the FWC, several individuals reportedly scaled a fence and entered the property by crossing a cow field. When they noticed that the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office was surveying the area with a drone, they attempted to hide their weapons.
However, a K-9 unit managed to find two shotguns and a rifle hidden among the dense vegetation, according to reports from the local press.
The four suspects were taken to the Charlotte County jail and are facing third-degree felony charges for burglary with a dangerous weapon.
The FWC identified those detained as:
-Dayner Cordero González, 31 years old.
-Yurislandy Castro Márquez, 32 years old.
-Juan Pablo Díaz Montesino, 23 years old.
-Yuriel Díaz Barrios, 41 years old.
Additionally, according to the FWC, two of the suspects have already been reported to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the affidavit indicates that they are originally from Cuba.
"I am proud of the excellent work done by Officers García and Hazelwood, who collaborated with a local property owner to resolve a serious invasion problem," stated Major Evan Laskowski, regional commander of the southwest FWC.
"And I continue to be impressed with the work of our K-9 team: once again, K-9 Jenny demonstrated her skill in locating firearms," he added.
Mark Erickson, a resident of Charlotte County, described the area as a region of "about 25,000 acres back there, with very few people." He mentioned that hunting is common in that region:
"He comes around here all the time. Last Thursday, I took four guys off my land. They were coming down my path, heading towards the back of the property."
Erickson speculated that men might have been hunting deer, boars, or turkeys, and added:
"Prices in the stores are quite high. So, many people are going out to feed their families in a much cheaper way."
The FWC stated that it takes violations against wildlife and private property very seriously and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Florida's residents, natural resources, and properties.
Anyone witnessing illegal hunting or trespassing activities can report it to the FWC's Wildlife Alert Line by calling 888-404-FWCC (3922).
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