2 Collier County men arrested for stealing endangered berries

Writer: Carolina Guzman
Published: Updated:
Saw Palmetto courtesy Arina Krasnikova via Pexels

Two men have been arrested after the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said a witness caught the duo carrying two bags filled with Saw Palmetto berries.

Julio Pascual Fransisco and Gaspar Pablo Felix are accused of stealing Saw Palmetto berries on Collier Enterprises Property in Naples. 

Fransisco and Felix face charges for trespassing, theft and harvesting an endangered plant.

In July 2018, The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, added the Saw Palmetto Plant to the list of commercially exploited plants.

According to a report from the sheriff’s office, in order to harvest the plant, one must possess a valid permit from the FDACS and written permission from the landowner.

Saw Palmetto berries are edible and are popular for their medicinal benefits. 

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