Florida Hotel Owner and Bar Manager Arrested for Illegal Mothball Dumping

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers arrested Robert C. Czyszczon, owner of the Plaza Beach Hotel, and Christopher S. Monroe, manager of the adjacent Chris’ Beachside Bar, after an investigation revealed they scattered roughly 1,500 toxic mothballs on St. Pete Beach where threatened black skimmers nest. The men face felony commercial littering charges and misdemeanor counts of attempting to take a state‑listed threatened species. Surveillance video, purchase records, cell‑phone data and text messages linked the suspects to the dump, which officials said was intended to deter the birds and protect business revenue. The alleged act threatens the breeding success of the black skimmer population, which relies on Pinellas County beaches, and poses chemical hazards to wildlife and the public. The case underscores the Commission’s commitment to enforcing wildlife protection laws in Florida’s coastal habitats.