Suspected saw palmetto poachers accused of stealing 800 pounds of berries arrested in Hillsborough County

PLANT CITY, Florida. – Almost two months after a new regulation came into force that provides for tougher penalties for saw palmetto poachers, two suspects ended up behind bars.

On Monday, Hillsborough County officials arrested 39-year-old Heladio Gonzalez-Hernandez and 42-year-old Maria Hernandez-Santiago at a Plant City home after a property owner observed trespassers harvesting palmetto berries on his property in the 5000 block of U.S. Highway 41.

The property owner gave officers a photo of the suspected thieves' vehicle, which led them to the home in Plant City.

READ: Saw palmetto burglar arrested after new law makes punishment a felony

In Florida, unauthorized picking of saw palmetto berries is a third-degree felony and can result in a prison sentence of five years.

Officials say the berries can sell for about 75 cents a pound, sometimes as much as $3.50. They add that thieves sometimes sell them to roadside buyers, but generally the berries find their way to Immokalee and are then shipped to China for processing.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

In a previous interview, Ken Gioeli, a natural resources officer with the University of Florida's IFAS Extension, said, “They are used in the medical field, you can buy them as a dietary supplement, and they help treat a number of different conditions. That includes prostate enlargement and prostate problems, so they can help people with medical problems.”

Gioeli added that the berries also play a crucial role in our environment.

“If there is a season when poachers illegally enter natural areas and collect these berries, there is basically no way for the plants themselves to regenerate and produce a new generation of plants, and then whatever the wildlife is there, [is] will also suffer.”

“I couldn't be prouder of the work our Agricultural Crimes Unit does here in our community. They are on the front lines for our county's natural resources,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Their efforts ensure that these resources are protected from reckless exploitation, the future of our habitats is protected, and the environment is preserved for generations to come.”

Gonzalez-Hernandez and Hernandez-Santiago were charged with possession or exchange of illegally harvested saw palmetto berries and illegal destruction or harvesting of saw palmetto berries.

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