MIAMI — Two shark divers from South Florida, who were previously found guilty of theft after they released 19 sharks and a giant grouper from a fisherman’s longline positioned miles from the coast, have been granted a pardon by former President Donald Trump.
The pardons for Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr. were officially endorsed on Wednesday. Initially, they had been convicted in 2022 for crimes committed within a special maritime jurisdiction, specifically theft of property. Though the pair avoided incarceration, they were penalized with a restitution fee of $3,343.72. Their felony convictions came with further consequences, such as disenfranchisement in Florida, restrictions on gun ownership, and limits on international travel.
Marc Seitles, the legal representative for Moore, expressed his satisfaction in a statement saying, “We never stopped fighting, and justice has finally prevailed. We are thrilled the White House considered our arguments and determined this was an unjust prosecution. We could not be happier for John and Tanner.”
In an incident occurring in August 2020, documented in court records, Moore, a captain of a shark-diving charter, and his crew member Mansell discovered the longline roughly 3 miles (5 kilometers) off the Jupiter Inlet. Assuming it was an illicit fishing line, the duo released the marine creatures, alerted state wildlife authorities, and brought the fishing equipment ashore.
Nevertheless, federal authorities proceeded to charge them with theft, revealing that the longline was owned by a fisherman holding a license granted by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration for shark research purposes.
After a jury found Mansell and Moore guilty, appeals made in their favor were also dismissed. However, the comprehensive pardons sanctioned by Trump absolve these convictions.
Ian Goldstein, Mansell’s attorney, voiced his opinion in a statement, declaring, “This case never should have been filed. These gentlemen made an honest mistake and were trying to save sharks from what they believed to be an illegal longline fishing setup. I can’t think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon.”