FLORIDA — The Maryland State Police notified the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Friday that they arrested a man wanted regarding the abuse of a protected pelican in the Florida Keys.
William Hunter Hardesty, 31, of Riva, Maryland was arrested Friday morning on a warrant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that charges him with one count of intentional feeding of pelicans, two counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and two counts of animal cruelty. He is currently being held as a fugitive in the Worcester County Detention Center in Maryland.
The Maryland State Police told the Sheriff’s Office that MSP Troopers arrested Hardesty shortly after 9:00 a.m. Friday at a hotel in Ocean City, Maryland. Hardesty will be returned to the Florida Keys where he will face charges.
Hardesty can be seen in a viral Internet video posted last week jumping on a state and federally protected pelican in the Florida Keys. Key West was tagged as the location of the video on social media. The video shows Hardesty with a fish appearing to lure a pelican near him as he stands on a dock. Hardesty then leaps directly on top of the bird and into the water. Hardesty surfaces holding the bird with two hands. The bird then snaps at Hardesty’s face with its bill, the Hardesty loosens his grip and the bird flies away.
Sheriff Rick Ramsay received multiple tips from citizens and residents in and out of the Florida Keys since the video went viral on the Internet. Sheriff Ramsay immediately shared the tips with the FWC and other law enforcement partners.
It was not immediately clear how long it will take to transport Hardesty from Maryland to Key West as of Friday.
