Inmate charged with

selling hunting leases

online to FL hunters

CHATSWORTH, GA  – On May 7, investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) filed charges against Rodney Edward Smith, 39, of Chatsworth, GA, in Gilchrist County. Smith faces four felony counts related to defrauding Florida residents. 

While incarcerated for false imprisonment and other charges at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, GA, Smith orchestrated an elaborate fraud scheme targeting Florida hunters between July 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026. Using smuggled cell phones, multiple online aliases, social media profiles and dozens of phone numbers, Smith posted fraudulent hunting lease advertisements for properties he did not own or control.

A hunting lease is an agreement between a landowner and a hunter allowing the hunter to access and hunt on private land under agreed-upon terms. Smith negotiated lease terms and collected deposits from multiple unsuspecting victims in 15 Florida counties, defrauding Florida hunters of thousands of dollars. 

“By offering fraudulent hunting leases, he not only stole from Florida citizens, but also damaged the trust between hunters and landowners that is essential to Florida’s hunting tradition,” said Lt. Col Randy Bowlin, FWC Deputy Director of Law Enforcement over Investigations and Intelligence. “Our officers remain committed to protecting the public and resources by supporting lawful hunting opportunities across the state.” 

On Aug.16, Smith was extradited from the Georgia prison to Florida on a warrant to face the following charges:

• Fraudulently offering property for sale or lease, first-degree felony
• Scheme to defraud less than $20,000, third-degree felony
• Illegal use of a two-way communication device, third-degree felony
• Cheating, third-degree felony

Bond was set at $700,000.

The FWC thanks the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution for its assistance with the case, as well as the Georgia Department of Corrections and Dalton Police Department in Georgia for their support during the investigation.

Wildlife and resource violations are very serious, and the FWC encourages the public to report them by downloading the FWC Wildlife Alert app, calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922), or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.

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Alligator harvesting

permits are now

available online

Beginning August 15, hunters participating in the Statewide Alligator Hunt and Super Hunt can now log their alligator harvests through the Fish l Hunt FL app.

Hunters must still record their harvest within 24 hours or prior to transferring the harvest. If cellular service is not available for the hunter to report their harvest online prior to transferring the carcass, hunters may record the harvest information in a temporary harvest transfer log up to 24 hours until entered online.

The temporary harvest transfer log should include: the permittee’s legal name; CITES tag number; date of harvest; county and water body where harvested; total length of the alligator in feet and inches; date and time of transfer; and legal name of the receiving party.

Hunters will be able to submit online harvest reports in the Fish l Hunt FL app by logging into their account, tapping “hunting” and choosing “Alligator Harvest Reports.”  

For more information about alligator hunting and management, visit MyFWC.com/Alligator.

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