Suspected saw palmetto poachers accused of stealing 800 pounds of berries arrested in Hillsborough County

PLANT CITY, Fla. - Nearly two months after a new regulation went into effect creating harsher penalties for saw palmetto poachers, two suspects found themselves behind bars.

On Monday, Hillsborough County deputies arrested Heladio Gonzalez-Hernandez, 39, and Maria Hernandez-Santiago, 42, at a home in Plant City after a property owner saw trespassers harvesting palmetto berries on their property in the 5000 block of US Highway 41.

The property owner gave law enforcement a photo of the suspected thieves' vehicle, which led them to the Plant City home.

READ: Saw palmetto berry burglars arrested after new law creates felony punishment

It is a third-degree felony in Florida to take saw palmetto berries without permission, and it can land someone in prison for five years.

Officials say the berries can sell for about 75 cents a pound and can sometimes get up to $3.50 a pound. They add 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.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

In a previous interview, Ken Gioeli, a natural resources agent for the University of Florida's IFAS Extension, said, "They're used in the medical field and people can buy supplements, and it treats a number of different ailments. One of them is enlarged prostate and prostate issues, so it can help people with medical problems."

Gioeli added that the berries also play a critical role in our environment.

"If you have a season where poachers illegally go into natural areas and trespass and collect these berries, basically there's no way for the plants themselves to regenerate and grow a new generation of plants and then whatever wildlife is there [is] going to suffer as well."

"I could not be more proud of the work our Agricultural Crimes Unit does here in our community, standing as a frontline defender for our county's natural resources," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Their commitment ensures that these resources are protected from reckless exploitation, protecting the future of our habitats and preserving the environment for generations to come."

Gonzalez-Hernandez and Hernandez-Santiago were charged with possession or exchange of unlawfully harvested saw palmetto berries and unlawful destruction or harvest of saw palmetto berries.

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