FWC: Faked turkey hunts draw fraud charges

PORT CHARLOTTE — Four men were arrested Wednesday in an alleged scheme to breed fake wild turkeys and defraud hunters who were after the real thing.

Two men from Punta Gorda, one from Arcadia and another from Naples were charged the scheme, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced.

The men convinced hunters, the report states, that they were hunting and shooting Osceola turkeys.

Instead, according to authorities, the suspects took their paying customers on a guided hunt to shoot domesticated birds that had been bred to resemble the wild turkeys.

Lt. Col. Randy Bowlin, FWC deputy director of law enforcement over North Operations and Investigations/Intelligence, said the alleged scheme not only deceived hunters but posed risk to landowners near the guided hunts.

"We want public, private and tribal landowners to know that we are working diligently to ensure that captive-raised, nonwild turkeys will not be released near their lands," he said in the announcement. "Hunters can be reassured that the opportunity to hunt a wild Osceola turkey will remain, and legitimate outfitters will not have competition from unethical and fraudulent turkey guide services or outfitters."

The four suspects were identified as:

• Larry William Collins, 58, of Punta Gorda; charged with organizing fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device

• Paul Neil Beckham, 49, of Punta Gorda: charged with organizing fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device

• David Preston Mills, 57, of Arcadia: charged with organizing fraud and conspiracy to commit organized fraud

• Vernon Robert Flowers, 71, of Naples: charged with organized fraud and conspiracy to commit organized fraud

Authorities alleged that the defendants' plan had Collins sell turkey hunting experiences through his hunting preserve in Hardee County, while Mills raised the imitation turkeys on a Charlotte County game farm.

Mills is alleged to have led the fake hunting parties as a guide, along with Beckham. Collins also allegedly referred hunters to a taxidermy business run by Flowers, who in turn provided kickbacks.

FWC credited forensic science for providing evidence of the fraud, as genetic samples of birds harvested through the alleged scheme are purported to show they were not Osceola turkeys. The tests also cited differences in "size, feather coloration, and leg structure" of the birds.

According to FWC staff, the Osceola turkey is only found in peninsular Florida, outside the Panhandle region.

"The Osceola turkey is best distinguished from Florida’s eastern wild turkey by the white barring on its wing feathers," the announcement noted. "On Osceola turkeys, the white bars on the primary wing feathers are narrower than the black bars and are irregular or broken, which tends to give the wing an overall darker appearance compared to eastern wild turkeys."

More information on wild turkey hunts in Florida can be found by visiting MyFWC.com/hunting and clicking on the “Wild Turkey” entry.

The FWC Division of Law Enforcement said they are continuing to seek out leads on hunting fraud and to educate the public on rules regarding the release of domestic birds on hunting preserves.

Suspected violations can be reported anonymously to the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or by texting 847411 (Tip411) with keyword "FWC" and information about the location and violation.