A Florida man was sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $51,000 for illegally poisoning and shooting dolphins, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida said on Friday.
Zackery Brandon Barfield, 31, of Panama City, worked as a licensed charter and commercial fishing captain in the region. According to court documents, he poisoned and shot dolphins on multiple occasions between 2022 and 2023.
Barfield used methomyl, a highly toxic pesticide, to poison dolphins that surfaced near his boat, the US Attorney’s Office stated.
While captaining charter trips in December 2022 and again in the summer of 2023, he fired a 12-gauge shotgun at dolphins near his vessel, killing one immediately. In one incident, he shot a dolphin in the presence of two elementary school children. In another incident, he opened fire while more than a dozen passengers were onboard, the court documents revealed.
“The Gulf of America is a vital natural resource,” said Acting US Attorney Jason Spaven. “The defendant’s selfish acts are more than illegally poisoning and shooting protected animals – they are serious crimes against public resources, threats to the local ecosystem, and a devastating harm to a highly intelligent and charismatic species.”
Barfield was aware of the laws protecting dolphins, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
“He knew the regulations, yet he killed them anyway – once in front of children,” Gustafson said. “This sentence demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the rule of law. It should deter others from engaging in such conduct.”
'Cruel and unnecessary deaths'
“These cruel and unnecessary deaths may have gone unsolved without the determination and expertise of our investigator and the close cooperation we maintain with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and the US Attorney’s Office,” said Paige Casey, Acting Assistant Director of NOAA’s Southeast Law Enforcement Division.
“The subject’s actions were intentional and heartless, and we will continue to pursue harmful acts against marine mammals,” she said.
Barfield will also serve a one-year supervised release term following his prison sentence, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
“We are proud to work alongside our partner agencies to bring Zackery Barfield to justice,” said Captain Mike Godwin of the FWC Investigations Northwest Region. “His actions were cruel, illegal, and a threat to the Gulf’s marine life. This case shows the power of teamwork and our shared commitment to protecting Florida’s wildlife and holding offenders accountable.”
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