Fish and Wildlife Officers Arrest Florida Men for Felony Littering at Little Santa Fe Lake
Sunday morning, officers with the Alachua region of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission arrested Charles Earl Baker, 64, and James Richard Fender, 60, on charges of littering exceeding 500 pounds, a felony carrying a maximum prison sentence of five years.
Officer Teresa Williams reported that the men “sank an approximate 15ft vessel with approximately 20-30 cement cinder blocks in Little Sante Fe Lake, Alachua County. The combined weight of the vessel and cinder blocks exceed the 500lb threshold… [required] for felony littering. The cinder blocks alone well exceed the 500lb threshold.”
After being read their Miranda rights, Baker and Fender reportedly “admitted to making multiple trips of retrieving cinder blocks in efforts to sink the vessel as well as creating holes in the hull of the sunken vessel by driving metal objects into it.”
Baker was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescribed container. Baker was found to have eight yellow/white pills identified as Acetaminophen and Oxycodone.
Sheriff’s Office deputies searched Baker and Fender. Baker was in possession of approximately $4,367 in cash, in addition to fishing and concealed weapon licenses.
Fender had a Florida Fish and Wildlife card but there didn’t appear to be anything notable in his property inventory.
Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered Baker and Fender released on recognizance under the conditions that they not contact each other, not return to Little Santa Fe Lake, and show up at all required future court appearances.
Under the law Fender and Baker are charged with, if guilty, a judge may order them to "repair or restore property damaged by, or pay damages for any damage arising out of [their] dumping [of] litter."
A judge could also order they "perform [a] public service relating to the removal of litter dumped" or " restoration of an area polluted by litter dumped."
Under the law, if Fender and Baker's cases proceed to trial, prosecutors do not have the burden of proving they lacked the authority to dump the litter. If Fender or Baker had grounds to dump the litter, they would have the burden of proving that.
