MARATHON, Fla. – A man was arrested Tuesday night in Marathon during a traffic stop after he was found in possession of nearly 200 illegally harvested lobster tails, authorities announced Wednesday.
Yordy Escalante Carrillo, 25, of Marathon, was cited for possession of 191 speared lobsters, possession of 150 undersized lobsters and possession of 185 over-the-limit lobsters.
According to Monroe County Sheriff's Office spokesman Adam Linhardt, Carrillo was pulled over in his Dodge car because it had an unreadable tag.
Linhardt said said the deputy also smelled burned marijuana emitting from the vehicle.
Authorities said Carrillo denied having anything illegal in the car, but admitted that he works with people who smoke marijuana.
The deputy searched the vehicle and didn't find any drugs, but found a Rubbermaid container filled with wrung lobster tails, Linhardt said.
Authorities said Carrillo admitted to catching the lobsters that night and acknowledged that he did not have a commercial fishing license.
Linhardt said a total of 191 wrung lobster tails were found in the car. All were speared and 150 were undersized, authorities said.
The legal limit for legally-sized, harvested lobsters in Monroe County is six per person per day.
Click here for more information about lobster regulations in the Florida Keys.