Taylor Blake Martin, Harassing Endangered Species, Florida 2024

Taylor Blake Martin, 22, and Seth Andrew Stephenson, 22, are facing the music for their part in a disturbing Facebook video that shows the two men harassing manatees in Florida.

According to court documents, Martin and Stephenson were identified as the individuals in the video, which shows one of them luring two manatees to a dock with a water hose, while the other jumps off a boat dock, ‘cannonballing’ an adult manatee and a calf.

The video, which was posted on Facebook, shows Martin landing on the back of the adult manatee as the manatees swim away. Stephenson then begins to use the water hose in an attempt to lure the manatees back as the video ends.

In a shocking display of callousness, Martin responded to a post expressing displeasure with his actions, saying ‘hahaha…in my debue [sic] as tayla the manatee slaya…im f—- ready to cannonball on every manatee living yewwww.’

U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced the guilty pleas in federal court, stating that each defendant faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago, Southeast Region, Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said, ‘This case demonstrates our resolve to address the illegal harassment of Manatees, as well as the enforcement of speed zones, and other more serious forms of take which result in the death or injury of Florida’s Endangered Manatees.’

The case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.

Taylor Blake Martin and Seth Andrew Stephenson are set to be sentenced at a later date for their part in the disturbing Facebook video that shows the two men harassing manatees in Florida.

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