Miami Mogul Bunnell Docks Himself in Federal Court

MIAMI, FL – Richard A. Bunnell, 70, of Coconut Grove, is trading ocean views for house arrest. The Miami businessman was sentenced yesterday for brazenly flouting federal law by constructing illegal docks and piers in South Florida waterways. Bunnell’s actions violated the Rivers and Harbors Act, a federal statute designed to protect navigable waters from unauthorized obstruction.

According to court documents, Bunnell knowingly erected structures – including docks and piers – without obtaining the required permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He pled guilty on December 26, 2013, to two counts of this blatant disregard for federal regulations. The scheme involved multiple installations around the Miami area, turning protected waters into a private construction zone.

U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore handed down a sentence of six months home detention, complete with electronic monitoring, along with concurrent five-year probationary terms for each count. But the punishment didn’t stop there. Bunnell was slapped with a $175,000 criminal fine, and ordered to fork over an additional $50,000 to the South Florida National Parks Trust – money intended for crucial management, restoration, and research efforts.

The feds aren’t letting Bunnell off the hook simply with fines and house arrest. As part of the plea agreement, he’s now responsible for filing the necessary permit applications for all six Miami-area installations involved in the illegal construction. He must also undertake any corrective action demanded by the Army Corps of Engineers to bring the structures into compliance with federal law, including paying for mitigation to repair the damage to natural resources. This means more money, more headaches, and a legacy of environmental violation.

“This case sends a clear message,” stated Wifredo A. Ferrer, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “Those who disregard federal regulations and damage our waterways will be held accountable.” The investigation was a joint effort by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Maureen O’Mara, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, under the direction of Colonel Alan M. Dodd.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi A. Mazer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald prosecuted the case. The Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and report on any further developments. For those seeking detailed court documents and information, visit the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls or the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov, or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.