South Florida men get prison time for poaching protected sea turtle eggs

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. – Two South Florida men have been sentenced to federal prison for stealing 93 protected sea turtle eggs.

Court records show Carl Lawrence Cobb received nine months earlier this week in West Palm Beach federal court, while Bruce Wayne Bivins received seven months last month.

Both are from Riviera Beach and both pleaded guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act.

A criminal complaint says Cobb dropped Bivins off at the Singer Island Beach, just north of Palm Beach, one night last May. Florida wildlife officers say they spotted Bivins taking the eggs and then recovered them after stopping Cobb’s truck.

The eggs were relocated by marine biologists.

Investigators say the men had been planning to sell the eggs.

Images taken by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission show seized Loggerhead Sea Turtle eggs and a nest chamber eggs were removed from. (Florida Fish & Wildlife photos)