Christopher Michael McManus, Manatee Zone Violation, Florida 2015
A Fort Pierce resident has been ordered to pay a hefty price for putting the lives of manatees in danger.
On July 3, 2015, Christopher Michael McManus, 37, of Fort Pierce, was observed operating his boat within the clearly posted slow speed minimum wake manatee protection zone in the Indian River, in the Intracoastal Waterway, in St. Lucie County.
According to court documents and information disclosed during the court proceedings, McManus was operating his boat on plane and creating an excessive wake. McManus had numerous prior convictions for violating fish and wildlife regulations.
McManus previously pled guilty to one count of engaging in a waterborne activity contrary to law, in violation of Title 16, United States Code, Section 1583(a)(1)(G).
As a result of his guilty plea, McManus was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $5,000.00 fine. The court ordered fine will be forwarded to the Lacey Act Reward Account to support wildlife conservation activities.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel E. Funk, and the investigative efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were commended by Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Environmental Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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