KEY WEST, Fla. (WFLA) — The Monroe County Sheriff’s Workplace stated a person from Texas was charged after stealing a rental boat from the Keys and taking it to Cuba.
Floyd Dean Devasier, 63, rented a 26-foot Panga boat from a Key West marina on Tuesday for 2 days, to be returned earlier than the top of the enterprise day on Wednesday. He agreed to observe all maritime legal guidelines and never function the vessel at evening.
An worker on the marina additionally famous that Devasier stuffed up an additional 20-gallon gas tank earlier than he left.
MCSO stated Devasier informed the marina he would dock the boat in a single day on Inventory Island, nevertheless it was by no means seen by surrounding companies or different vessel homeowners and was by no means captured on safety footage.
Homeowners of the marina the place Devasier rented the boat from have been in a position to observe the vessel’s GPS heading south earlier than they misplaced connection. They tried to contact Devasier however received no response, after which contacted MCSO and the U.S. Coast Guard.
A fisherman off the U.S. coast took images when he noticed the vessel, and the Cuban Border Guard later notified the Division of Homeland Safety that the rental boat, Devasier, and a 38-year-old lady have been of their custody.
“I need to thank the U.S. Coast Guard, HSI, the Cuban Border Guard and the great Samaritan on the water for his or her assist and cooperation in bringing this case to a profitable conclusion,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay stated.
A warrant was filed for hiring or leasing with intent to defraud, and Devasier was arrested on Thursday after flying into Miami.
MCSO stated he was concerned in an analogous case from 2019, when a past-due rented vessel was situated in Cuba. Devasier additionally has a number of drug-related convictions, the sheriff’s workplace stated.
It is about 95 miles from Key West to Cuba.
