Florida: Lazaro Echevarria, Wilfredo Echevarria, Leonardo Cancio, Benito Estepe and Roberto Beltran all arrested for poaching wildlife

FLORIDA -- Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission informed that its officer had made a big discovery over the weekend: nearly 800 spiny lobster tails, most undersized, hidden in a small compartment of a filthy, hot, cockroach infested boat cabin in the Florida Keys.

Officer Jill Izsak told that the guys who have been here for 20 years said it's one of the biggest cases they've ever seen.

According to Izsak, Capt. Roberto Beltran, 57, and Benito Estepe, 66, both of Carol City, and Leonardo Cancio, 56, of Boot Key, were arrested and taken to Marathon jail, charged with two felonies and several state fishing violations.

He informed that the charges: trap molesting, grand theft, undersized catch and wrung lobster tails on the water, meaning the edible tails were separated from the discarded bodies before the boat reached shore.

FWC spokesman Bobby Dube told that the men each face up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and forfeiture of the 40-foot fishing boat, Kristal, which was seized as evidence.

Scott Zimmerman, executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association, pointed out that over the past few years, trap robbing and illegal fishing have become an increasing problem in the Keys due to the growing economic struggles of commercial fishermen and the cutback of law enforcement to patrol the thousands of square miles of water.

According to Dube the FWC's new patrol boat, the Marathon-based Seahawk, which has triple engines, has helped.

He informed that on Friday, FWC officers arrested Lazaro Echevarria, 22, and Wilfredo Echevarria, 18, of Homestead, on several charges, including robbing 10 stone crab claws from a private trap, a third-degree felony.

Zimmerman said every case is important, no matter the size of the illegal catch.

Full Name: Lazaro Dunier Echevarria 
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Block: 3300 NE 9th St
City: Homestead, Florida 33033
Occupation: COMPUTER TECH
Birthdate: 09/23/1986
Arrest Age: 22
Date:10/17/2008
Arresting Agency: Florida Wildlife & Conservation
Location: Monroe County, FL
Charges
#1 VIOL OF FWCC STONE CRAB RULES
STATUTE: 370.13.2a ( Misdemeanor)

#2 STEAL STONE CRAB TRAP OR CONTENTS
STATUTE: 370.13.2b ( Misdemeanor)

Full Name: Wilfredo Luis Echevarria
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Block: 4100 NE 25th St
City: Homestead, Florida 33033
Occupation: STUDENT
Birthdate: 08/29/1990
Arrest Age: 18
Date: 10/17/2008
Arresting Agency: Florida Wildlife & Conservation
Location: Monroe County, FL
Charges
#1 VIOL OF FWCC STONE CRAB RULES
STATUTE: 370.13.2a ( Misdemeanor)

#2 STEAL STONE CRAB TRAP OR CONTENTS
STATUTE: 370.13.2b ( Misdemeanor)

Full Name: Leonardo Cancio Cancio
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Block: 1500 Overseas Hwy
City: Marathon, Florida 33050
Occupation: FISHERMAN
Birthdate: 04/26/1952
Arrest Age: 56
Date: 10/18/2008
Arresting Agency: Florida Wildlife & Conservation
Arrest Location:BAYSIDE MARATHON, Monroe, FL
Charges
Charges
#1 VIOL SALTWATER FISH REGS
STATUTE: 370.021.1a ( Misdemeanor)

#2 VIOL SALTWATER FISH REGS
STATUTE: 370.021.1a ( Misdemeanor)

#3 VIOL FWC STONE CRAB RULES SUBSQ OFF
STATUTE: 370.13.2a ( Misdemeanor)

#4 MOLEST SPINY LOBSTER TRAP LINE BUOY
STATUTE: 370.14.4 ( Felony)

#5 VIOL FWC RULE OR ORDER SALE SALTWATER FISH
STATUTE: 372.83.3a1 ( Misdemeanor)

#6 VIOL FWC RULE OR ORDER SALE SALTWATER FISH
STATUTE: 372.83.3a1 ( Misdemeanor)

#7 THEFT IS 300 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 5000 DOLS
STATUTE: 812.014.2c1 ( Felony)

Full Name: Roberto Beltran
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Block: NW 45th Ave
City: Miami Gardens, Florida
Occupation: FISHERMAN
Birthdate: 01/11/1951
Arrest Age:57
Date:10/18/2008
Arresting Agency: Florida Wildlife & Conservation
Arrest Location:BAYSIDE MARATHON, Monroe, FL
Charges
#1 VIOL SALTWATER FISH REGS
STATUTE: 370.021.1a ( Misdemeanor)

#2 VIOL SALTWATER FISH REGS
STATUTE: 370.021.1a ( Misdemeanor)

#3 VIOL FWC STONE CRAB RULES SUBSQ OFF
STATUTE: 370.13.2a ( Misdemeanor)

#4 MOLEST SPINY LOBSTER TRAP LINE BUOY
STATUTE: 370.14.4 ( Felony)

#5 VIOL FWC RULE OR ORDER SALE SALTWATER FISH
STATUTE: 372.83.3a1 ( Misdemeanor)

#6 VIOL FWC RULE OR ORDER SALE SALTWATER FISH
STATUTE: 372.83.3a1 ( Misdemeanor)

#7 THEFT IS 300 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 5000 DOLS
STATUTE: 812.014.2c1 ( Felony)

Full Name: Benito Estepe
Block: 17400 NW 52nd Ct
City: Opa-locka, Florida 33055
Occupation: FISHERMAN
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Birthdate: 04/03/1942
Arrest Age: 66
Date:10/18/2008
Arresting Agency: Florida Wildlife & Conservation
Arrest Location: BAYSIDE MARATHON, Monroe, FL
Charges
#1 VIOL SALTWATER FISH REGS
STATUTE: 370.021.1a ( Misdemeanor)

#2 VIOL SALTWATER FISH REGS
STATUTE: 370.021.1a ( Misdemeanor)

#3 VIOL FWC STONE CRAB RULES SUBSQ OFF
STATUTE: 370.13.2a ( Misdemeanor)

#4 MOLEST SPINY LOBSTER TRAP LINE BUOY
STATUTE: 370.14.4 ( Felony)

#5 VIOL FWC RULE OR ORDER SALE SALTWATER FISH
STATUTE: 372.83.3a1 ( Misdemeanor)

#6 VIOL FWC RULE OR ORDER SALE SALTWATER FISH
STATUTE: 372.83.3a1 ( Misdemeanor)

#7 THEFT IS 300 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 5000 DOLS
STATUTE: 812.014.2c1 ( Felony)

(Miami Herald - October 22, 2008)