Florida Dealers Plead Guilty to Reef Robbery

KEY WEST, FL – Two Florida marine life dealers cut a deal with federal prosecutors today, admitting to years of plundering the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Robert V. Kelton, 60, of Hollywood, and Bruce Brande, 59, of Cooper City, pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana Snow, confessing to a conspiracy that illegally siphoned valuable marine life from protected waters.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, along with the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, announced the guilty pleas. The pair conspired with collectors to illegally harvest live rock – the foundation of the Keys’ reef system – and prized invertebrates like Ricordea florida. The scheme stretched back to October 2006, a systematic rip-off of a fragile ecosystem.

According to court documents and statements, Kelton and Brande weren’t just taking from the reef; they were actively covering their tracks. Kelton manufactured phony invoices, falsely claiming the stolen live rock originated from Haiti. This was a cynical attempt to launder the illegally harvested materials, shielding themselves from scrutiny should questions arise. The operation, conducted through their company D. R. Imports, Inc. (DRI), generated at least $37,108.41 in wholesale sales of the pilfered goods. A staggering 11,567 Ricordea florida polyps alone were sold to DRI for $38,637.50, half of which stemmed directly from the illegally harvested live rock.

The feds weren’t fooled. From February 2011 through May 2011, investigators tracked Kelton and Brande as they shipped nearly $5,000 worth of the falsely labeled live rock to a dealer in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. They used photographs, shipping records, and even covert surveillance – including secretly filming harvest operations and marking stolen products – to build their case. The evidence paints a clear picture of deliberate deception and disregard for the law.

The charges stem from violations of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act, the National Marine Sanctuary Act, and Florida state law. These regulations explicitly prohibit the removal, injury, or possession of coral and live rock within the Sanctuary. Harvesting live rock is a direct violation of Florida Administrative Code, and selling it without proper permits is illegal under Florida Statute 370.07.

Sentencing dates have not been announced. While the financial damage is significant, the ecological cost of this reef robbery is immeasurable. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. This isn’t just about money; it’s about the systematic destruction of a vital natural resource, and these two men will finally have to answer for it.

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