State officials announced criminal charges Monday against 10 individuals in an alleged poaching conspiracy involving overfishing of reef fish including grouper, redfish, and snapper, plus protected sea turtles, including hatchlings.
The arrests followed an investigation that began in 2022, when a party to the alleged scheme approached an undercover officer, Attorney General James Uthmeier said during a news conference in Carrabelle.
Participating agencies included the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Office of Statewide Prosecutor, and local law enforcement…