The use of birds that resembled Florida's prized Osceola turkey — but that were actually pen-raised domestic birds bred to look like their wild cousin — caused four Southwest Florida residents to run afoul of the law.
On July 24, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement announced charges against four individuals involved in a fraudulent scheme to defraud hunters seeking Osceola turkey hunts.
Larry William Collins and Paul Neil Beckham of Punta Gorda, David Preston Mills of Arcadia, and Vernon Robert Flowers of Naples were charged with multiple felonies, including organized fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
FWC's investigation, led by Investigators Camille Soverel and Erika Zimmerman with assistance from a team of officers, investigators and forensic scientists, revealed that Collins and his co-conspirators advertised and provided fraudulent nonwild Osceola turkey hunts to unsuspecting victims through the Razzor Ranch website.
Victims were led to believe they were paying for a genuine Osceola turkey hunting experience but were instead guided to hunt pen-raised turkeys bred to resemble the Osceola species.
Forensic science played a crucial role in verifying the fraudulent nature of the turkey hunts by providing irrefutable evidence that the turkeys in question were not genuine Osceola turkeys.
An FWC geneticist conducted DNA analysis on feathers collected from the hunted turkeys, comparing their genetic profiles to that of known Osceola turkeys. Additionally, morphological examinations highlighted discrepancies in physical characteristics such as size, feather coloration and leg structure, further confirming that the turkeys were pen-raised domestics and not wild Osceolas.
The FWC said the scheme involved Collins, who operated the Razzor Ranch Blanket Hunting Preserve in Hardee County, and Mills, who managed a game farm in Charlotte County where the nonwild turkeys were raised.
Mills and Beckham acted as guides, leading the hunts, while Flowers, owner of Skins and Scales Taxidermy, mounted the fraudulent turkeys for the victims. Collins received kickbacks from Flowers for referring taxidermy business.
Collins fraudulently advertised, promoted and scheduled “Osceola” turkey hunts in Charlotte and Hardee counties. Collins accepted money for the hunts and then coordinated with his hunting guides (co-conspirators Beckham and Mills) to guide the unsuspecting victims to hunting locations to hunt a nonwild, pen-raised turkey. The pen-raised nonwild turkeys were bred and raised by Collins to appear as Osceola turkeys.
The charges filed against the defendants are as follows:
- Larry William Collins (DOB: 12/8/1965) of Punta Gorda: Organized Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Organized Fraud, Cheating, Unlawful use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
- David Preston Mills (DOB 7/9/1967) of Arcadia: Organized Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Organized Fraud.
- Paul Neil Beckham (DOB 6/3/1975) of Punta Gorda: Organized Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Organized Fraud, Cheating, Unlawful use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
- Vernon Robert Flowers (DOB 07/28/1952) of Naples: Organized Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Organized Fraud.
“Collins knowingly and intentionally represented his captive-raised turkeys as Osceola turkeys for unsuspecting hunters to pay large sums of money to hunt the Florida Osceola wild turkey,” said Lt. Col. Randy Bowlin, FWC Deputy Director of Law Enforcement over North Operations and Investigations/Intelligence.
According to the FWC, following the fraudulent hunts, Collins referred the victims to a co-conspirator Flowers, who owns a taxidermy business to have their fraudulent turkeys mounted. Collins received a 10% kickback from Flowers on the cash value of taxidermy for all the taxidermy work Collins sent to his business.
“This fraudulent scheme not only deceived hunters but also exploited a revered species of Florida’s wildlife,” said Bowlin. “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. 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 Osceola turkey is found only in peninsular Florida. The Osceola turkey is best distinguished from Florida’s eastern wild turkey by the white barring on its wing feathers. 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.
Information about hunting wild turkey in Florida can be found by visiting MyFWC.com/hunting and clicking on “Wild Turkey.”
Law Enforcement encourages the public to report suspicious turkey hunting activity. If a violation is suspected the public can report a tip anonymously to the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or text 847411 (Tip411) with keyword "FWC" and information about the location and violation.