Flagler Man Arrested For Illegal Possession Of Sea Turtle Eggs

Florida’s sea turtles are a majestic sight. Few of us have witnessed the hatchlings following their instincts to propel themselves down the beach on their flippers toward the ocean where previous generations of marine turtles have lived, but Florida is one of only a few places in the world where you can see this. In fact, there are five species of marine turtles that count Florida’s waters in their native habitat and build their nests on Florida’s beaches. The Green Turtle, the Hawksbill, Kemp’s Ridley Turtle, the Leatherback, and the Loggerhead are all part of Florida’s aquatic ecosystem. Some of these species have legal protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, which prohibits the hunting, habitat destruction, and illegal possession of endangered wildlife species. All five marine turtle species are protected under Florida law. It is against the law to harm the turtles or their eggs or nests, and you can only possess the turtles or their eggs if you have a permit from the state to possess them for research or educational purposes. If you are facing criminal charges related to the illegal possession or sale of sea turtles or sea turtle eggs, contact a Tampa criminal defense lawyer.

When Violating a Restraining Order Is Only the Beginning of Your Legal Troubles

The sight of sea turtle eggs on the beach is a source of consolation when everything else is going wrong. News sources never explained what led Wesley Winters to walk on the beach, where he saw two sea turtle nests that had washed away. What we know is that he figured that the eggs were nonviable because of how they were lying strewn on the sand. We also do not know why he parked his van outside his ex’s house and fell asleep, since the court had ordered him to stay away from his ex after an aggravated battery case.

A police officer recognized the van and its license plate and approached the van to talk to Winters. He saw the sea turtle eggs on the passenger side floormat, and Winters explained where he had gotten the eggs. The officer then searched the car and found two pipes for smoking, plus various quantities of cannabis, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, and one Xanax pill. Winters is now facing charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of controlled substances, violating a restraining order, and illegal possession of sea turtle eggs.

Any of these charges can carry serious consequences by itself. Like all defendants in criminal cases, Winters is presumed innocent until proven guilty. His best hope of avoiding criminal penalties is to hire a criminal defense lawyer and to present defenses to the effect that the prosecution’s allegations do not unambiguously link him to the crimes or to argue that the prosecution obtained the evidence against him illegally.

Contact Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Bryant Scriven

A criminal defense lawyer can help you get justice if you are facing criminal charges for illegal possession of an endangered wildlife species or its eggs.  Contact Scriven Law in Tampa, Florida to schedule a consultation.

Sources:

clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/09/17/florida-man-arrested-in-flagler-county-had-sea-turtle-eggs-drugs-in-his-possession-deputies-say/

myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/sea-turtle/protection/#:~:text=Florida%20Statutes%20restrict%20the%20take,afforded%20to%20marine%20turtle%20habitat.