Coral Thief

[RonFrank]

IMO, fines are pointless, for many reasons. When someone is fined for something, do you think the money goes toward what they were fined for? No, it's divided among the state or feds for whatever they want to use it for. I say, put the punks in prison rather than giving them a fine.

Unfortunately who foots the bill for prison.... hmm, us! In FL is costs $18,108 annually to keep someone in prison (LOOK HERE).

I would love it if they could devise a better system where the inmates had to do SOMETHING to generate the revenue necessary to pay for the facility.

I'm not saying this guy should not go to prison. OTOH, taking away the boat, and hitting him in the wallet IS a penalty that hurts regardless of who gets the cash or where it is used. One can argue that since we pay to police, and prosecute the dude, that SOME of that cash goes directly into prevention of marine sanctuary laws. Policing, administrating, and prosecuting violators is hardly free.

 

[ReefGuy]

Actually, the inmates at our facility are charged a daily fee, as well as fees for medical attention, psych calls, etc. Unfortunately, most of them are indigent. One way that we do make back some money is through their canteen. That's where they get their coffee and cheetos from. When money is deposited in their account, if they have a deficit, half goes to pay their debt.

BTW, I'm not against collecting coral legally. I am, however, against stealing.

 

[Lucy's Diver]

Unfortunately who foots the bill for prison.... hmm, us! In FL is costs $18,108 annually to keep someone in prison (LOOK HERE).

I would love it if they could devise a better system where the inmates had to do SOMETHING to generate the revenue necessary to pay for the facility.

I'm not saying this guy should not go to prison. OTOH, taking away the boat, and hitting him in the wallet IS a penalty that hurts regardless of who gets the cash or where it is used. One can argue that since we pay to police, and prosecute the dude, that SOME of that cash goes directly into prevention of marine sanctuary laws. Policing, administrating, and prosecuting violators is hardly free.

http://www.unicor.gov/about/faqs/fact_fiction/

 

[divedude1962]

So does the guys boat become a new dive site? maybe a reef rebuilding project?

 

[aowdan]

And what's going to happen to the Germans who came over here and broke our laws? If they are in the business of selling coral, I guarantee they knew it was illegal to collect them from the marine sanctuary.

I say make them testify against the U.S. citizen in exchange for no jail time, just a crapload of fines. ($50k sounds about right... gotta make it cost more than they can profit from just paying it.)

absolutley LOVE the avatar!!!

dano

 

[aowdan]

So does the guys boat become a new dive site? maybe a reef rebuilding project?

use the boat as a research vessel or some other coral reef project and send the guy daily pics and vids of his boat in action (while he's in prison!)

dano

 

[aafmiami]

here i am and as i read your comments and every one else I can only think and call out!
" Jesus Christ!"
if this poor people only knew the truth!
How unbelievable they did manipulated the peoples opinion on this case!
and you are very wrong about what you are saying my fellow diver!
things are not always like we think they are! or as they tell you it is!
there was nothing regarding being a thief with my case! absolutely nothing!
17 years of impeccable record in commercial diving is more appropriated to refer to me as...
framed by the system for convenience of some....
and more to this to freak your hair out of your head is here available!
unfortunately i was away as you all know for a wile but back already to start clearing the mess up! one at the time!

 

[aafmiami]

...And I am too!

i can assure you that stilling was never the case NEVER!
That is what they want you to think!

 

[aafmiami]

They did that, sunk my vessel wile hauling out the water!

 

[aafmiami]

every side has your own justifications....

thief arrested by drug dealers!

How ironic is that?


Two Florida Keys law enforcement officers arrested on drug charges
A county corrections officer and a state wildlife enforcement officer were arrested on drug charges in the Florida Keys.
Related Content

* Officer who hit man was on way to work
* Uncover weird news at the Crime Scene blog

BY CAMMY CLARK
cclark@MiamiHerald.com

The FBI arrested two Florida Keys-based law enforcement officers last week on drug charges that included transporting what they believed to be cocaine and heroin, according to the United States Attorney's Office.

Shawn Hernandez, a corrections officer with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and Jonathon Jacox, a sworn officer with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, are in federal custody in Miami charged with possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to traffic in narcotics and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Hernandez and Jacox met with an undercover officer who provided ''sham'' drugs that he said he needed transported to the Keys, according to U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Alicia Valle. Seven federal, state and local agencies participated in the investigation, during which Hernandez was involved in three transportations of the sham drugs and Jacox was involved in two.

''These criminal acts are serious and completely unacceptable no matter who is committing them. It is even more shocking and appalling that it would be two law enforcement officers taking part in this type of crime,'' said Monroe County Sheriff Bob Peryam, whose agency's narcotics task force took part in the investigation.

Hernandez, 32, worked for the past 10 months as a corrections officer in the Key West Detention Center on Stock Island. He began with the sheriff's office in 2000 as a maintenance assistant, but left in 2001 to attend a corrections academy. He had been working as a corrections officer outside of the Keys until he was hired by Monroe County last July. Jacox completed the Conservation Commission's Law Enforcement Academy in 2006 and was stationed in Marathon, according to commission spokeswoman Carol Pratt.

''FWC officers are an exemplary group of people and we offer no refuge to those within our ranks who choose to break the law,'' commission Chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement.