Man Accused of Beating Seagull Turns Self In

On November 5, 2021, the Marco Island Police Department initiated an investigation into an animal abuse which occurred on the South Beach area of Marco Island. It was reported that a male suspect was hitting seagulls with a shovel. The suspect left the scene prior to police arrival.

One of the seagulls struck by the shovel received a broken wing and was no longer able to fly. It was later euthanized at the Conservancy of Southwest due to the severity of its injuries. The seagull is a protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Through investigation, the male subject was identified as Paul John Flaucher, age 30, from Jesup, Iowa. With the assistance of our law enforcement partners from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, further information was gathered, and an arrest warrant was issued through Collier County Circuit Court. Flaucher turned himself in at the Collier County Jail on May 4, 2022.

Flaucher is charged with one count of Aggravated Animal Cruelty, a third-degree felony.