Kevin P. Mason Builder, LLC, a Florida Keys boat lift installation company, and Jennifer Ashlee Davis, 32, of Tavernier, have been sentenced for violating federal law by installing a dozen unauthorized boat lifts in navigable waters without permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). The illegal structures were built between February 1 and September 30, 2015, in direct defiance of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which mandates federal approval before any construction in protected waterways.
Davis, who served as the company’s permitting agent, was responsible for securing approvals from the ACOE on behalf of both Mason and property owners. Instead, she and the company knowingly moved forward with installations despite the absence of required federal authorization. Their actions violated Title 33, United States Code, Sections 403 and 406—laws designed to protect the integrity of the nation’s waterways from unregulated development.
In federal court in Key West, before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez, both defendants pled guilty to the charges. Mason was sentenced to five years of probation and slapped with a $15,000 fine. The company must also implement and enforce a court-mandated Environmental Compliance Plan. Davis received one year of probation and was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, a lighter penalty that reflects her role but still underscores the seriousness of the offense.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer, Southern District of Florida, made it clear: “It is imperative that companies and their agents abide by all compliance programs, including permit regulations, to ensure the protection of our environment.” The statement signals that environmental enforcement remains a top priority, especially in ecologically sensitive zones like the Florida Keys.
Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office emphasized that defrauding the government by bypassing environmental laws will not be tolerated. “DCIS will investigate those who defraud the Government by circumventing United States law intended to protect our waterways, and hold them accountable for their actions,” Khin said. “This resolution sends a clear message that preserving the environment of the Florida Keys is taken very seriously.”
Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, echoed the sentiment, stating the Army Corps is tasked with regulating construction in navigable waters. “USACIDC will investigate those who defraud the Government to circumvent United States laws intended to protect our navigable waters,” Robey said. The coordinated takedown, led by ACOE, DCIS, USACIDC, and EPA investigators, underscores a growing crackdown on environmental permit fraud in coastal regions.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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