FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2001
Lee County Man Sentenced For Illegal Excavation Of State
Archaeological Site
--Must pay over $24,000 in fines, court costs, and
restitution--
Fort Myers – This afternoon, Charles A. Jury, Jr.,
51, of Ingles, Florida was sentenced in a Lee County court stemming from
September charges of one count of misdemeanor theft, one felony count of
dealing in stolen property, and one felony count of criminal conspiracy. The
Honorable Thomas Rice presided.
Jury received six months in prison, followed by two years
community control, and an additional three years probation. Jury was also
ordered to pay a $10,000 fine -- the maximum possible -- for his crimes.
As part of his sentencing, Jury was ordered to pay the
following in restitution:
- $360.00 for court costs
- $4,545.00 to the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve
- $6270.00 to DEP's Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) for
investigative costs
- $1067.00 to the History Resource Division of the Department of State
- $ 875.00 to DEP's Park Patrol
- $1017.00 to the Office of Statewide Prosecution
"Today's sentencing is a victory for the citizen's
of Florida," said Thomas S. Tramel, III, director
of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Law
Enforcement. "Mr. Jury's conviction and sentencing should send a strong
message to anyone who willfully disturbs or destroys our state’s natural
resources – especially for profit. These crimes will not be
tolerated."
The Office of Statewide Prosecution lead the case that convicted Jury in
October of third-degree felony criminal conspiracy and dealing in
state-owned stolen property -- a second-degree felony. Jury contracted
individuals to steal artifacts from a State historical site in order to
profit.
Jury's successful conviction is the result of a
four-month undercover Strike Force investigation utilizing the cooperative
efforts of DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement, the DEP Park Patrol, the
Office of the Secretary of State, and the Office of Statewide Prosecution in
Fort Myers.
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