BEVERLY BEACH, Fla. – Deputies in Flagler County arrested a man in a van on Beverly Beach after they say they found sea turtle eggs on the floorboard of the vehicle, and a plethora of drugs throughout the van.
The sheriff’s office arrested Wesley Winters, 53, on Sunday.
Deputies said they found Winters’ van parked outside of a home along North Ocean Shore Boulevard. Deputies said Winters had been arrested for aggravated battery and was under a no-contact order for the person who lived at the house.
According to a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office release, the deputy woke Winters up and asked him to step out of the van, and that’s when he noticed the white and tan orbs sitting on the floorboard between Winters’ feet.
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The deputy called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and began to put the eggs into an evidence bag when he noticed a marijuana bowl on the ground next to the van. When asked if he had any drugs, the deputy said Winter responded, “not that I’m aware of,” then agreed to let the deputy search the van.
The sheriff’s office said that’s when the deputy found methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana, an alprazolam pill, a handmade metal pipe, and another marijuana bowl matching the one outside.
Winters told an FWC officer the eggs came from two nests that had washed away, and he thought the eggs were no longer viable.
Winters was arrested on several charges, including possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, alprazolam, marijuana (20 grams or less), drug paraphernalia, and violating a no-contact order.
After the FWC investigation, Winters also faced misdemeanor and felony charges related to possessing and disturbing protected sea turtle eggs.