Two Florida business owners have been charged with third-degree felonies after allegedly spreading about 1,500 "toxic" mothballs across a beach in hopes of keeping an "imperiled" bird species from nesting there.If convicted, they could each face up to five years in prison, fines of up to $5,000 and up to five years of probation.The problem started in late April when beachgoers noticed mothballs on the white, sugary sand on St.Pete Beach in St.
Petersburg, Florida.Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and bird-loving volunteers from the Audubon Society mobilized.They plucked about 1,000 of the small, white orbs from the sand behind the Plaza Beach Hotel.MASSACHUSETTS HOMEOWNERS STUNNED AFTER TOWN WARNS JULY 4 FLAGS THREATEN ENDANGERED BIRDSRobert Czyszczon (L) and Christopher Monroe (R) were both charged with third-degree felonies for allegedly scattering mothballs on the beach behind their businesses in St.
Petersburg, Fla.(Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)Then 500 more appeared overnight.The smelly balls containing pesticides dotted an area where endangered shorebirds known as black skimmers were "attempting to establish a nesting colony," FWC officials said in a news conference.
Their placement also meant other wildlife and children "could easily come in contact with them."It quickly became clear that someone might be targeting the birds, they said.So FWC investigators flew into action.Meanwhile, the discovery of the mothballs ruffled feathers in the community.There was "a lot of public outcry" expressing concern for the birds, while investigators tried to locate the source of the mothballs, FWC officials said.Law enforcement served search warrants, combed through "terabytes" of data and eventually seized cellphones to try to locate the individuals behind the caper.That work led them to Christopher Monroe, owner and manager of Chris’s Beachside Bar, and Robert Czyszczon, owner of the Plaza Beach Hotel, FWC officials said....