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JUNE/JULY 2008 NEWS |
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GAS SAVING TIPS FOR BOATERS
FIVE JENA MEN SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT ON MIGRATORY GAME BIRD VIOLATIONS L.D.W.F. AGENTS CITE MONROE MAN FOR INTENTIONAL LITTERING CALDWELL PARISH MAN CITED FOR INTENTIONAL LITTERING LINCOLN PARISH MAN SENTENCED FOR WILD TURKEY VIOLATIONS MONROE MAN ARRESTED FOR D.W.I. AND BOATING VIOLATIONS L.D.W.F. AGENT PROVIDES EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE TO FLORIDA WOMAN OUACHITA PARISH MAN SENTENCED FOR NIGHT HUNTING L.D.W.F. AGENTS CITE TEXAS MEN FOR OYSTER VIOLATIONS L.D.W.F. AGENTS RESCUE TWO MISSING BOATERS IN ST. CHARLES PARISH L.D.W.F. AGENTS CITE CHAUVIN MAN FOR OYSTER VIOLATIONS L.D.W.F. AGENTS DISCOVER ILLEGAL SEAFOOD SHIPMENTS IN ORLEANS PARISH LINCOLN PARISH MAN CITED FOR GROSS LITTERING Summer boating season is in full force in Louisiana and many recreational boaters are starting to feel the pinch of high fuel prices. The Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) has a few tips that could help boaters stretch their fuel dollars and keep the fun on the water going all summer long. Leave the extra 'junk' home: Don't load the boat up with weight you don't need. Do a little spring cleaning - unused equipment that has been collecting mildew in the bottom of lockers for years should be left at home. Fuel weight: Why keep the fuel in the tank topped off if you're only going out for the afternoon? If you know for certain that you will not be using a full tank of gas, then don’t top off your gas tank. This will also help keep the fuel fresher for those who don’t get on the water much. Tune her up: An engine tune-up is an excellent investment and should easily pay for itself over the summer. Tune your prop: If your boat goes 30 mph with a like-new prop and only 27 mph with a prop that's dinged and out of pitch, that's a 10 percent loss in fuel economy, or, you're wasting one out of every 10 gallons you put in your tank. Paint the boat's bottom: When boating in salt or brackish waters a fouled bottom is like a dull knife. It takes a lot more fuel to push your boat through the water. Keep the boat in trim: Using trim tabs or distributing weight evenly will help move your boat through the water with less effort - and less fuel. Go with the flow: Consult tide tables and try to travel with the tide whenever possible. Install a fuel flow meter: A fuel flow meter is like a heart monitor; when consumption starts to rise, it's an early warning that something is amiss. A fuel flow meter also allows you to select a comfortable cruising speed that optimizes the amount of fuel being consumed. Do the math: If you don't want to spring for a fuel flow meter (about $300), you can calculate your fuel mileage by dividing distance traveled by gallons at fill-up. Using your logbook, you can then approximate fuel flow using average speeds and time underway. For information on boating safety or for information on a boating education course visit www.wlf.louisiana.gov. For more information on BoatU.S. visit www.boatus.com. FIVE JENA MEN SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT ON MIGRATORY GAME BIRD VIOLATIONS On June 5, five Jena men were sentenced by U. S. Federal Magistrate James D. Kirk in Alexandria, for taking over the legal daily limit of teal and failure to maintain custody of game birds. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Division agents cited the five men on Sept. 15, 2007 in Lasalle Parish during the special September teal season. Justin Conley Norris, 27, Jesse Lee Parker, 26, Daniel Keith Ganey, 23, and Steve C. Norris, 50, were sentenced to pay $1,000 each for taking over the daily limit of teal, $500 each for failing to maintain custody of game birds, two years unsupervised probation, loss of hunting privileges for two years, and 40 hours of community service plus court costs. Bard D. Lambeth, 50, was sentenced to pay $1,500 for taking over the daily limit of teal, $500 for failing to maintain custody of game birds, two years unsupervised probation, loss of hunting privileges for two years, and 40 hours community service with mandatory drug testing plus court costs. Agents set up surveillance on the blind located in Hannah’s Lake after receiving a complaint that the individuals had taken over the limit of ducks the year before. Agents watched as the men shot teal and bagged the birds and hid them approximately 100 yards from the blind. At the end of the hunt, agents found the five individuals to be in possession of 45 teal. Agents participating in the case were Lt. Kenneth Hedrick and Senior Agent Joseph Merrill. L.D.W.F. AGENTS CITE MONROE MAN FOR INTENTIONAL LITTERING Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division Agents cited a Monroe man for intentional littering in the Ouachita River on May 26. Bryan L. Holman, 21, was cited for allegedly hitting tennis balls into the Ouachita River at the Forsythe Boat Dock. While patrolling the Ouachita River, agents observed approximately 25 tennis balls floating in the river and questioned Holman. He admitted to hitting the tennis balls into the river. He had driven to the area by vehicle and had no means of retrieving the tennis balls. The penalty for intentional littering is a fine of $250 upon a first conviction and eight hours of community service in a litter abatement work program as approved by the court. Agents involved in the case were Sgt. Duane Taylor and Senior Agent Scott Jeansonne CALDWELL PARISH MAN CITED FOR INTENTIONAL LITTERING Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division Agents cited a Caldwell Parish man for intentional littering on May 26. Matthew L. Champagne, 24, of Columbia, was cited for allegedly throwing a beer can from his boat into the Ouachita River, north of Monroe. Agents retrieved the can and upon questioning Champagne confessed to throwing the can into the river. The penalty for intentional littering is a fine of $250 upon first conviction and eight hours of community service in a litter abatement work program as approved by the court. Agents involved in the case were Sgt. Duane Taylor and Senior Agent Scott Jeansonne LINCOLN PARISH MAN SENTENCED FOR WILD TURKEY VIOLATIONS A Lincoln Parish man pled guilty on May 21 in 3rd Judicial District court in Union Parish for wild turkey violations. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents cited Scott Mabry, 32, of Dubach, on April 10 for hunting from a moving vehicle, hunting from a public road, hunting without a valid turkey hunting stamp and taking over the daily limit of turkeys. Mabry confessed to stopping his vehicle along Hwy. 2 in the Shiloh community of Union Parish on April 3 and shooting two gobbler turkeys. Mabry was ordered to pay a total of $3,070 for the violations. He was fined $350 for hunting from a moving vehicle, $350 for taking over the limit of turkeys, $150 for hunting from a public road, and $50 for hunting without a valid turkey hunting stamp. He was also ordered to pay court costs of $140 for each charge. In addition to the fines, he was ordered to pay $1,610 to LDWF for civil restitution for the two turkeys. Mabry was also placed on probation for a period of two years, during which time both his hunting and fishing privileges will be suspended. Agents involved in the case were Lt. Mike Rockett, and Sgts. Thomas Risser, Lane Kincaid and Duane Taylor. MONROE MAN ARRESTED FOR D.W.I. AND BOATING VIOLATIONS Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents arrested a Monroe man for Driving While under the Influence (DWI) of alcohol and several boating safety violations on May 24. Britt O. McCoy, 26, was operating a boat after dark on the Ouachita River near Monroe when he was stopped by agents for not displaying proper navigational lights. Upon making contact with McCoy, agents detected a strong smell of alcohol. After conducting a boating safety check and finding several violations, agents gave McCoy an initial field sobriety test. He refused additional field sobriety testing and was arrested for his third offense of DWI, improper running lights, failure to comply with personal flotation device (PFD) requirements and an expired boat registration. He was booked into the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center. The penalty for a third conviction of DWI is imprisonment with or without hard labor for a period one to five years and a fine of $2,000. Thirty days of the imprisonment shall be without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. The penalty for improper running lights, expired boat registration and failure to comply with PFD requirements is a fine of $50 each. Agents involved in the case were Lt. Mike Rockett, Sgt. Jimmy Vining, Senior Agents John Volentine, David Harrell, Stan House and Josh Estis. A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division senior agent provided emergency medical care to a Florida woman suffering from seizures on the side of the road north of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish on May 26. Senior Agent Wendell Weeks was on patrol when he noticed a woman lying beside a car with another woman by her side at the intersection of LA. Hwy. 2 and U.S. Hwy. 65. Agent Weeks immediately stopped his vehicle to offer assistance. Upon arriving at the woman’s side, Weeks discovered that the woman was having a seizure. Agent Weeks learned from the woman’s friend that the victim had a history of seizures and had been lying on the tailgate resting when she fell off and began to have the seizure. Weeks immediately notified the East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office of the situation and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel were dispatched. The woman had two more seizures while waiting on EMS to arrive. Agent Weeks provided the woman with emergency medical care while waiting for the arrival of EMS. Agent Weeks assisted them in preparing her for transport in the ambulance and then escorted the friend to the East Carroll Parish Hospital. The friend of the victim told the agents that the woman was from Florida and had been in the hospital for the last week. The friend was moving her from Florida to Oklahoma so she could she could help take care of her. They had stopped at the intersection to rest and look at the lake when she was overtaken by the seizures. Agent Weeks called the hospital the next day and learned that the lady had already been released from the hospital and continued her trek to Oklahoma. Sgt. Scott Mathews and Agent John Miller were also on the scene. OUACHITA PARISH MAN SENTENCED FOR NIGHT HUNTING A Ouachita Parish man was sentenced by Judge Charles A. Traylor of the 4th Judicial District Court in Monroe on Thursday, May 29 for hunting deer during illegal hours and hunting from a moving vehicle. Johnny Jack Thompson, 22, West Monroe, was ordered to pay a fine of $1,200 for both charges, which included court costs. Thompson along with Jerry L. Thrasher, 21, also of West Monroe, was arrested on Jan. 10 after a deputy with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office observed night hunting activities on Toney Bayou Road south of West Monroe. Deputies tried to stop the vehicle, but a chase ensued with the vehicle finally being stopped on Interstate 20. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents were called to the scene following the stop. A spotlight and a 30/06-caliber rifle were found in the vehicle. Thompson and Thrasher were arrested and transported to the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center for hunting deer during illegal hours, hunting from a moving vehicle, hunting from a public road and spotlighting from a public road. Thrasher's court appearance will be held at a later date on the hunting charges and a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Agents involved in the case were Sgts. Duane Taylor and Lane Kincaid, and Senior Agents Scott Jeansonne and John Volentine, Agent Joe Gouedy, and Ouachita Parish Deputy Cpl. Paul Knight. L.D.W.F. AGENTS CITE TEXAS MEN FOR OYSTER VIOLATIONS Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division Agents assigned to the Lake Charles Region and the Oyster Strike Force collaborated on a joint enforcement effort that led to numerous oyster citations on May 28 in the waters of Vermillion Parish. The patrol was focused in an area known as Southwest Pass and in response to complaints of improperly marked oyster leases and oyster theft. Agents observed several vessels harvesting oysters near Southwest Pass and during the patrol numerous citations were issued for alleged oyster violations. Jose Guadalupe Arredondo, 39, Juan Valente Vega, 20, Salvador Almaguer Vega, 35, Jose Eulalio Almaguer, 35, Jesus Palma Martinez, 44, all from Houston, Texas were cited for taking oysters during a closed season. Mario Rivas, 41, Jose Benjamin Cabrera, 37, Ruban Padilla Marquez, 31, Efrain Bocanegra, 31, Jose Rodriguez, 26, Heriberto Rodriguez, 33, Ricardo Rodriguez Martinez, 29, Juan Ramon Rodriguez, 25, Juan Cervantes, 28, Luis Mariano Rivas, 27, Marco Antonio Rodriguez, 39, Ruben Lara Flores, 28, and Manuel Ivan Martinez, 29, all from Houston, Texas were cited for harvesting oysters from an improperly marked lease. Jose Federico Rivas, 24, Gustavo Hernandez Ramirez, 22, Adrian Omar Gonzalez, 23, and Luis Miguel Gonzalez, 24, all from Houston, Texas were cited for unlawfully taking oysters off a private lease and failure to have written permission. Louisiana law mandates lessees, under the supervision of LDWF, shall stake off and mark the leased water bottoms by ranges, monuments, stakes, buoys, and the like, in order to locate accurately and fix the limits of each lease by prominently marking such leased water bottoms with signs which state the lease number or name or initials of the leaseholder. Oysters shall not be harvested from any unmarked lease. The oyster violations carry penalties ranging from $100 to $950, or jail time between 60 to 120 days, or both plus court costs. L.D.W.F. AGENTS RESCUE TWO MISSING BOATERS IN ST. CHARLES PARISH Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents rescued two missing boaters in the LaBranch wetlands in St. Charles Parish on May 25. Dave Fabres, 38, and Tracey Ingram, 33, both from Slidell, were rescued after being stranded over night in the marsh complex. The boaters launched their 17-foot surface drive vessel to explore the LaBranch Marsh. During their trip, they missed a turn and their vessel became beached in the marsh. The boaters were unable to free the vessel and were forced to spend the night in the marsh. On Sunday, May 25, agents were notified of the two missing individuals. With the aid of LDWF aircraft, agents were able to locate Fabres and Ingram. Agents, along with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Deputies launched an airboat allowing them to reach and free the stranded boaters. Agents involved in the rescue operation were Lt. Robert Martin, Sgt. James Gregoire, Sgt. Adam Young, Senior Agent Derek Sampey, Agent Doug Danna, and Pilot Gene Rackel. L.D.W.F. AGENTS CITE CHAUVIN MAN FOR OYSTER VIOLATIONS Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited a Chauvin man for various oyster violations on May 8, 2008. Leroy Chauvin, 73, of Chauvin, was cited after agents concluded an investigation that spanned from Louisiana to Alabama. The case originated when Region 8 agents were called to a Jefferson Parish seafood dealer by the Louisiana Board of Health with the complaint of Chauvin using another certification. Agents were then notified that Chauvin’s certification was suspended. During the investigation, agents found that Chauvin allegedly acquired oysters on five different days using certifications from other dealers and on one count transported illegal product to a dealer in Alabama, while under a suspended Board of Health certification. Chauvin was cited for five counts of violating the sanitation code (suspended certification), violating interstate commerce regulations, and five counts of adulterated or misbranded certification. The citations were issued based on the investigation that on Sept 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 of 2007; Chauvin acquired and sold oysters from two oyster fishermen without the required Board of Health certification. Investigations revealed on Sept 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 of 2007; Chauvin acquired and sold misbranded oysters tagged with certifications from two dealers without authorization. In addition, on Sept. 7, 2007, Chauvin acquired and sold oysters that were misbranded to a wholesale dealer in Alabama. The penalty for violating sanitation codes is a fine of $25 or imprisonment up to 10 days. The penalty for violating interstate commerce regulations is a fine up to $950, or imprisonment up to 120 days, or both, and shall include the forfeiture of anything seized in connection with the violation. The penalty for adulterated or misbranded seafood is a fine up to $1,000, or imprisoned for not more than one year or both. LDWF Region 8 agents and the Enforcement Division Oyster Strike Force participated in the case. Also participating were Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and Alabama Department of Health and Hospitals. L.D.W.F. AGENTS DISCOVER ILLEGAL SEAFOOD SHIPMENTS IN ORLEANS PARISH Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited a Jefferson Parish wholesale seafood dealer on May 12 for allegedly possessing unreported, farm-raised game fish and undocumented blue crabs at a New Orleans seafood processing facility. Agents arrived at the seafood processing facility to perform an inspection, when a man, identified as Charles Flanders, 38, of Gretna, was seen backing a refrigerated truck up to the loading dock. During the inspection, agents observed various seafood containers in Flanders’ vehicle, including shrimp, blue crabs, grouper, and farm-raised red drum. After a records inspection of Flanders’ load, agents found that the red drum and grouper had been purchased by Flanders from Mexico, and that he transported the fish into Louisiana via Florida. The investigation revealed that Flanders had failed to notify LDWF prior to entering Louisiana. In addition, he was not in possession of any records involving the origin of the blue crabs. A follow-up investigation showed that the crabs were purchased in Venice, and scheduled to be sold at New Orleans fish house. A total of 162 pounds of blue crabs were seized and sold for a total of $324.00 and a total of 1,321 pounds of red drum were seized and sold for $3,236.45. The disposition of these funds will be determined pending trial. Flanders was cited with a state violation of failure to maintain records on the blue crabs. The penalty for this offense is a fine of $250 to $500 or jail for not more than 90 days or both plus court costs. In addition, federal violations are pending for violating interstate and foreign commerce regulations involving the Lacy Act, which can carry a penalty of up to $10,000. Red drum are classified as a game fish according to Louisiana law. Prior to each shipment into the state of any saltwater farm-raised game fish, the buyer or handler of such shipment must notify the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries of its pending arrival, the amount of fish, the origin and destination of the shipment, and the grower’s name and fish farmer’s license number. LDWF agents involved in the case were Sr. Agents Jason Russo and Mike Garrity, Lt. Edward Skena, and Sgt. Bryan Marie. LINCOLN PARISH MAN CITED FOR GROSS LITTERING A Lincoln Parish man was cited by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents on May 2 for gross littering. Casey W. Bearden, 26, Ruston was cited after agents received a complaint from the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office concerning roofing shingles being illegally dumped on Pollands Crossing Road. During the investigation, agents located evidence from the dumpsite that led them to Bearden. Bearden was interviewed at the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office where he allegedly admitted to dumping the shingles a few days prior. He was cited and released. The penalty for gross littering is a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1000 and sentenced to serve eight hours of community service in a litter abatement work program as approved by the court. Agents involved in the case are: Lt. Mike Rockett, Sgts. Thomas Risser and Duane Taylor, Senior Agent David Harrell and Agent Joe Gouedy.
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