KEY WEST, Fla. – A boat rented in Key West crossed international waters and was found in Cuba.
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According to Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies, Floyd Dean Devasier, 63, of Katy, Texas, was charged with stealing a rental boat.
Devasier rented the boat from Beach Weekend Marina in Key West. It was reported missing on Wednesday.
Deputies said Devasier rented the 26.5-foot Panga boat from Beach Weekend Key West Marina on Tuesday for two days under an agreement that all maritime laws be followed, the vessel was not to be operated at dark and be returned before the end of business on Wednesday. A marina employee noted Devasier bought and filled an extra 20-gallon fuel tank before departing.
“Our team acted quickly, and we’re committed to ensuring the continued safety and compliance of all rental operations,” said Jayme Nabors, owner of Beach Weekend Marina.
Nabors observed GPS tracking that showed the rental boat heading south in the Atlantic Ocean before tracking stopped and attempted to call Devasier with no response. Nabors then contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a media release, a fisherman reported seeing the vessel off the U.S. coastline and took pictures. Deputies learned on Wednesday that the Cuban Border Guard notified U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Investigations (HIS) that the rental boat and Devasier as well as a 38-year-old adult female were in their custody.
Devasier flew to Miami on Thursday and was arrested by federal authorities via a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office warrant for hiring or leasing with the intent to defraud.
Devasier has multiple prior convictions for drug-related offenses, including a case in 2019 where a vessel kept past its due date was also located in Cuba.