Naples man, 30, arrested on more than a dozen illegal wildlife possession counts

Tomas Rodriguez, Naples Daily News
·2 min read
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A Naples man faces multiple illegal wildlife possession counts after deputies with the Collier County Sheriff's Office found him with deer he had driven from Ohio and migratory birds, as well as Canada geese.

According to an arrest report, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation arrested Ariam Rodriguez Diaz, 30, on July 22 during a routine law enforcement patrol, according to the report. FWC officials released photographs linked to the probe on Tuesday.

An FWC officer responded to Rodriguez Diaz's residence at the 2800 block of 38th Avenue South when the agency received a call from the sheriff's office and Emergency Medical Services regarding an individual in possession of two live whitetail deer.

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Two fawn whitetail deer in cage with roosters.
Two fawn whitetail deer in cage with roosters.

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission followed Rodriguez Diaz inside a chain link fence toward the enclosure containing the deer, according to his arrest report.

Officers advised Rodriguez Diaz he didn't need to take the deer out. He told law enforcement he never takes them out, the report shows.

Rodriguez Diaz then opened a latch on a chain link gate and entered the enclosure. He then asked responding officers if he was keeping the deer illegally. Officers, in turn, asked him if he had any type of permit for them, which he denied, the report says.

Officers then walked around the back of the property to check for other enclosures or animals. Under a pavilion-style structure, they observed several different types of migratory bird kept inside bird cages.

Male painted bunting inside cage.
Male painted bunting inside cage.

The birds including mockingbirds, buntings, and rose-breasted grosebeaks, reports showed.

They also reported finding bird traps, according to the arrest report.

Hanging from the edges in the pavilion, they saw several bird cages of different sizes, one of which contained a migratory bird, the report shows.

Upon their search of the property, officers found Rodriguez Diaz in illegal possession of two white-tailed deer; 15 migratory birds; two illegal bird traps and eight Canada geese in a substandard enclosure, according to a statement from FWC.

Officials also found Rodriguez Diaz transpored the deer illegally across state lines from Ohio. According to the arrest report, he told officers he got them at a rest stop.

He told officers that he was looking over his truck during the morning hours when he saw the deer nearby. He added coaxed the deer to come to him.

Functional bird trap containing a migratory bird.
Functional bird trap containing a migratory bird.

The rest stop was near Interstate 80, Rodriguez Diaz told officers. He then transported them to Florida in his semi-truck.

He also told responding officers how the deer stayed in the back of the cab near his sleeping area.

Rodriguez Diaz faced a $21,000 bond. He bonded out July 24, jail records indicate.

He's next due in court Aug. 17 on all 20 counts.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Follow him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples man arrested with two fawns he coaxed into semi in Ohio