A video of three Florida men laughing and smiling as they drag a shark behind a high-speed boat, has gone viral and triggered charges against them for animal cruelty.
Michael Wenzel, 25; Robert Lee Benac, 28; and Spencer Heintz, 23, were charged with two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office.
The video was posted in July showing the men on the boat, with one chortling that the shark looks “almost dead.” According to Florida wildlife investigators, the men shot the shark, but it wasn’t dead; they then dragged it behind the boat until it died.
Robert Klepper, public information coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement, stated, “Because they first shot the shark, it warranted two separate charges for animal cruelty.” He added that a third-degree felony animal cruelty charge can bring a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Alerted by the video, investigators found a second incident from the same day as the shark-dragging, which catalyzed an additional misdemeanor charge against two of the men.
According to CNN, “Miami charter fisherman Mark Quartiano, who goes by ‘Mark the Shark,’ posted the video on social media after two Instagram users sent it to him who he said were part of the incident. Quartiano said he decided to publish the video so the fishermen could be identified and caught.”
Quartiano told CNN, “I was horrified. I’ve been shark fishing for 50 years, and I’ve never seen a disrespect for an animal my entire career that was that evil.”