Developer reaches plea deal on illegal clearing

**yippie** · 10-05-2006, 04:13 AM

In today's paper:

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS � The trial of developer David Barron ended on Wednesday not long after a jury was seated when he pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor charges for illegally clearing land without permits and damaging state wetlands at La-Grange Bayou.
Barron was to be tried on felony charges, but Assistant State Attorney Neill Wade decided that he did not have the evidence he needed to make them stick.
�There was difficulty in differentiating (between) damage to wetlands and damage to state lands,� Wade said.
A seven-member jury was picked about noon. After a lunch break, Wade met with Barron�s attorneys and they agreed on the plea agreement. The jury never heard testimony or saw any evidence.
Barron was adjudicated guilty on misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief and violations of the Florida Pollution Control Act and Florida Water Control Act for damaging state wetlands and clearing without a permit.
He was sentenced to 12 months probation and 150 hours of community service. He was also fined $5,000 and must reimburse the state and Walton County Sheriff�s Office a total of $3,777.63 for the cost of the investigation.
Barron did not comment on the advice of his attorneys, Ashley Smith Herndon and Don Dewrell.
�We�re happy the case (was) resolved with misdemeanor (charges),� Herndon said. �We think that was appropriate.�
Barron is a corporate officer with Destin-based JLAB, LLC.
As co-defendant in the Barron case, the corporation has been fined $10,000 for the illegal clearing.
The clearing occurred earlier this year on about 27 acres at the Ramsey Branch of LaGrange Bayou near Freeport. About one acre of wetlands was damaged, Herndon said.
Barron is the son of Okaloosa County Circuit Judge G. Robert Barron.
The state and Walton County are requiring David Barron to draw up a site restoration plan and return the cleared property and wetlands as close as possible to their original state.
The county has issued about $240,000 in civil citations to Barron for clearing the land without permits.
Wade said that it impressed him how aggressively the state and county pursued the case.
�My compliments to the DEP and Walton County for vigorously pursuing this like they did,� he said.
Daily News Staff Writer Heather Civil can be reached at 267-8300.

**Smiling JOe** · 10-05-2006, 07:11 AM

Don't get me started on that man for doing such a disgraceful thing. He is only surprised by "DEP and Walton County for vigorously pursuing this like they did,” because he and his Realtor partner (who claimed to not know any better-- and by the way, how the heck did he escape and why is he allowed to keep his real estate license??? -- Did I read that the defendant is the son of a local judge???? hmmm????) thought that since the property is mostly hidden from view, that they would never get caught.

This article makes it seem like the fines and punishment are severe. I mean, I couldn't afford $240,000 in fines, but that is nothing if it converts interior lots to waterfront lots. Also, originally, those fines were supposed to continue until the corrective action of filling in those man-made canals took place. Sounds like that is no longer the case.

I wonder if we could get reports on the whereabouts and times of David Barron's (destroyer of precious lands) community service hours. I would like to take a bunch of photos and embarass the hell out of that criminal.
Here is one photo of David Barron, now criminal, from Prudential Anchors Realty website. Did the story mention that he is an active Realtor?

How is has kept his license after this fiasco is unknown to me.
Here are the names of two of David Barron's (criminal) partners in this venture:

ANCHORS, LARRY Y
LEE, JAMES III

What I find so darn interesting is that Larry Anchors (Real Estate Broker and Realtor) is the registered agent for JLAB, LLC and they even use his office address for the mailing adress of JLAB, LLC, yet his is off free, without charge. By the way, the office Larry Anchors, partner with convicted criminal and son of a judge, David Barron, is PRUDENTIAL ANCHORS REALTY
970 GULFSHORE DR
DESTIN, FL 32541

Sometimes, the entire truth gets losts in the media. If you want the real story, ask how someone who is both a Realtor and Broker in this area doesn't know that a permit is needed to clear wetlands, and how he can roll over and play stupid, and how a he puts all of the guilt on the judge's son, even though he is the official registered agent for the LLC which is responsible for digging the canals and destroying existing wetlands.

From Larry's website:

Larry Anchors is a 6th generation local. His father was the first elected official to be born in Okaloosa County. His grandfather homesteaded 40 acres on Rocky Bayou. Sara Ann Bayou was named after his great-grandmother and his great-great-grandmother, Nan-ya-hi was a pragmatic Indian maiden, who married a white man rather than hike to Oklahoma on the "Trail of Tears". Proud of his family, his heritage and his community Larry has been active in the politics, education and community affairs of this area all of his life. His knowledge of the land, politics and the people of Okaloosa and Walton Counties have served him and his clients well in his business endeavors (note from smiling joe - truer words have never been spoken.)

Larry Anchors, registered agent for JLAB, LLC

**rapunzel** · 10-05-2006, 07:55 AM

I know this is a sore subject, but don't you think someone should have to forfeit the coveted "local" title when it's proven they've raped, pillaged and plundered the homeland?

Perhaps it would make a difference if a bunch of us called the DA's office to denounce this slap on the wrist? That might make a difference next time...

**steele mama** · 10-05-2006, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by rapunzel

I know this is a sore subject, but don't you think someone should have to forfeit the coveted "local" title when it's proven they've raped, pillaged and plundered the homeland?

Perhaps it would make a difference if a bunch of us called the DA's office to denounce this slap on the wrist? That might make a difference next time...

Definitely and they should be expelled from the county like Bobby Brown can't go to MA!

**Smiling JOe** · 10-05-2006, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by steele mama

Definitely and they should be expelled from the county like Bobby Brown can't go to MA!

A normal person would think that the two Realtors involved would be subject to losing their Real Estate License, too.

**FLSunChaser** · 10-05-2006, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

A normal person would think that the two Realtors involved would be subject to losing their Real Estate License, too.

SJ -
Shouldn't a complaint be filed with the DBPR? It would sure be worth it to try and get his license yanked. He needs a good SoWal style a** kicking. . .

**BlueMtnBeachVagrant** · 10-05-2006, 09:05 AM

Having property on Lagrange Bayou, I had heard about the "illegal clearing" discussed here from a neighbor. We jumped on the jetskis earlier this year and went to check it out.

I posted some pictures that I took in March to try to give you a sense of the amount of clearing that took place. I didn't get a good shot of the "Cul de Sac" at the end of the dredged inlet...unbelievable.

Many issues in our area are gray (environmentalists vs. developers, etc.)...few are black or white, absolute right or wrong. But in my humble opinion, with the amount of illegal clearing that took place, this so-called "developer" was DEFINITELY in the WRONG.

Smiling Joe, not really knowing the characters involved, your color commentary is very interesting! Thanks. You too, yippie for posting the article.

I just wonder if the "civil citations" fines of $240,000 will actually be enforced and paid.

Of course here I go with Google map again but here's a link that centers a view of the area (obviously a "before" shot"). You can barely see a small "creek" coming into the south side of the main channel. It was this "creek" that was enlarged, dredged and extended to the "aquatic cul-de-sac" that I refer to above.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...003337&iwloc=A

This first shot is inside the enlarged creek looking north back into the main channel.

The next is the entrance to "aquatic cul-de-sac"

**John R** · 10-05-2006, 09:22 AM

thanks for the pics bmbv, amazing what people think they can get away with when they think someone's loking the other way. hopefully all fines will be enforced. in addition to money already spent, the fines, and the cost to fix it, this will change the roi big time. hopefully others will think twice before ordering questionable work to be done.

jr