MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Miami Beach police officers arresting a convicted felon for trespassing and possessing a weapon Thursday morning made an unexpected discovery, authorities say.
An arrest report states that officers patrolling the 200 block of Lincoln Road found Daniel Ambrose, 44, sleeping in a doorway on private property. He has had multiple stints in state prison after convictions for burglary, grand theft and cocaine possession in Miami-Dade County.
Police said when officers woke him up and he sat up, he revealed a steak knife, “which he was concealing with his body.”
Authorities said he gave officers his brother’s name and they took him into custody on a trespassing charge.
Then, they searched his belongings and “discovered a plastic fruit container containing two live baby loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings,” protected under law.
Watch arrest video:
Camping Crackdown Leads to Sea Turtle Rescue 🚔🐢:
— Miami Beach Police (@MiamiBeachPD) July 24, 2025
What began as a routine quality-of-life detail turned into a rescue mission for two endangered sea turtle hatchlings.
Miami Beach police officers from the Redevelopment Area Team (RDA) arrested a convicted felon during an… pic.twitter.com/hNHA22Bthz
Officers eventually gave the turtles to the head of Miami-Dade’s sea turtle program.
“This arrest is a powerful example of how our strict enforcement of the city’s camping ordinance can uncover broader public safety and environmental concerns,” Miami Beach Police Department Chief Wayne Jones said in a statement announcing the arrest. “From safeguarding our residents and businesses to protecting our precious marine life, our officers continue to uphold the standards of this world-class organization.”
Ambrose is facing two felonies related to the possession of sea turtles and one count each of providing a false name to law enforcement, felon in possession of a concealed weapon and trespassing.
As of Thursday evening, he was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a bond listed as “to be set” in online jail records.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
