Polk County saw palmetto berry poacher picked up on university property: PCSO
Florida man arrested in saw berry theft
A Polk County man is accused of illegally harvesting saw palmetto berries from a wooded area on Warner University property.
LAKE WALES, Fla. - Deputies arrested Rodney Michael after security officers found his pickup truck loaded with illegally harvested saw palmetto berries hidden on Warner University property.
Warner University Trespassing Incident
What we know:
Security officers and Polk County deputies said they discovered an empty red pickup truck hidden in a wooded area on Warner University property. The vehicle was packed with saw palmetto berries, which are endangered and illegal to harvest without a state permit.
Michael walked up to investigators and claimed the vehicle belonged to his mother before admitting he drove it onto the campus. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated that Michael was taken to jail on charges of trespassing and illegal possession of the berries.
Saw palmetto berries are protected under Florida law, making unpermitted harvesting a third-degree felony. Image is courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
"Our buddy here walks up and says, ‘That’s my mama’s truck.' You see, he’s from Lake Wales in Polk County and good ol’ boys call their mother mama," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd explained. "We said, ‘It may be your mama’s truck. But did your mama bring it here?’ 'No, I drove it here.' So, you’re trespassing, and you’re stealing palmetto berries from the university and in possession of them without a permit. That causes you to go to jail."
Judd noted Michael’s angry look in his mug shot and commented, "If you were harvesting palmetto berries in 95-degree heat and 99 percent humidity, and you got a whole truck load of them, and then we came and took them away from you and took you to jail, you’d be hot too."
Rodney Michael was arrested by Polk County deputies after being caught trespassing and possessing illegally harvested saw palmetto berries on university land. Image is courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Palmetto Berry Poachers Penalties
The backstory:
Florida updated its regulations in 2024 to impose harsher penalties on people who illegally harvest saw palmetto berries. Taking the berries without permission is a third-degree felony in the state and carries a potential sentence of five years in prison.
Palmetto berries fetch anywhere from 75 cents to $3.50 per pound from roadside buyers. Officials said that the thieves sometimes sell them to roadside buyers, but the berries generally make their way down to Immokalee and then are shipped to China for processing.
Florida Wildlife Impact
Why you should care:
Ken Gioeli, a natural resources agent with the University of Florida's IFAS Extension, noted in a previous interview with FOX 13 that the berries are commonly used in medical supplements to treat prostate conditions.
Gioeli explained that poaching prevents the plants from regenerating, which starves local wildlife that relies on the berries for survival.
Ongoing Investigation Details
What we don't know:
Authorities have not disclosed the total weight or estimated monetary value of the berries recovered from the pickup truck.
It remains unclear if investigators suspect other individuals were assisting Michael with the harvesting operation on university land.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who detailed the incident in a statement, as well as FOX 13 and Ken Gioeli, a natural resources agent for the University of Florida's IFAS Extension.