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Time of India
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Doing the right thing': Florida man convicted of freeing 19 sharks pardoned by Donald Trump; left ‘speechless'
AI generated image A Florida-based shark diver, convicted of freeing 19 sharks intended for research, was left 'speechless' after he was pardoned by US President Donald Trump. Tanner Mansell, 31 had accidentally cut a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration longline, and released 19 sharks and a giant grouper back into the ocean. 'I was getting a call from my lawyer and I answered, and he said, 'Well, I've got good news for you. You just got a full presidential pardon.' I was speechless. I couldn't even say thank you. I just soaked it in.', said Mansell to Fox News. Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr. were among the sixteen individuals granted full pardons by Trump, following their 2020 conviction for theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. In April 2020, Mansell and Moore took a group that included the Kansas City police chief and a SWAT officer and came across a buoy connected to a longline, over a dive site. A long line is a type of deep-sea fish gear with many hooks, used to catch fish. "It was just another ordinary day on the water," Mansell said. "I had been running trips there for years and never had anything like this happen. I spotted something red in the distance thinking that, you know, maybe it was trash or a diver," he said. "We saw that it was a buoy connected to a line, which is when we started calling law enforcement." Completely unaware that the longline actually belonged to legally sanctioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administering shark research operation, Mansell and his group had cut the line and ended up releasing 19 sharks back into the ocean, as reported by Fox News. He said that he was not aware that one could have the permit to 'kill all these sharks'. He had called the Florida Wildlife Commission as well as NOAA before making the decision to cut the line. "In our mind, the entire time, we thought we were uncovering a crime rather than committing a crime," he added. Although they reached out to law enforcement, both divers were still charged and convicted. They avoided prison but were ordered to pay $3,343.72 in restitution, and their felony convictions barred them from voting, owning firearms, and traveling freely. Recalling the incident, Mansell said that he probably would have acted differently knowing what he knows now regarding laws on legal shark killings. "But if I didn't know that there were permits for this, I don't think that I would change anything… when you think you're doing the right thing, you think you're doing the right thing,' said Mansell to Fox News. Mansell ardently thanked the White House and the president for granting him the pardon. "I'm just so grateful. I have said thank you every step of the way. Words can't explain it," he said. "I know that the White House took a look at this and they decided it was worth it. And I got President Trump's signature."
Mint
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Donald Trump surprises Florida diver by granting full presidential pardon, ‘That was really cool'
In 2020, Florida diver Tanner Mansell was convicted of a felony after unknowingly cutting a legally approved shark research line. Thinking they were saving trapped sharks, Mansell and his team, including a police chief and SWAT officer, released 19 sharks. They had called authorities before acting, but didn't realise the line belonged to a NOAA-approved research project. Days later, they were charged with theft in a maritime zone. Though they didn't face jail, they had to pay a fine of $3,343.72 and lost rights like voting and travelling. On May 28, Donald Trump pardoned Mansell and his partner, clearing their record. Mansell later said he believed he was stopping a crime, not committing one. He was shocked by the punishment. Mansell had spent years working in those waters without issues. His story drew public sympathy, and the pardon came as an unexpected relief. "The judge made a comment, and he commended us for our dedication to (the) environment. He gave out what my lawyer said was probably the lowest sentence ever," Fox News quoted Mansell as saying. Mansell said he would have acted differently if he had known about permits for legal shark killings. At the time, he believed he was doing the right thing and had no idea he was breaking the law. Mansell was surprised to receive a pardon as even his lawyers hadn't expected it. The turning point came when a judge from the U.S. Court of Appeals said the case should never have continued, noting that Mansell had openly informed authorities about his actions. This comment gained public attention and reached the Cato Institute, which published an article. That article caught the interest of the White House, which then contacted his lawyers. "That was really cool because our lawyer called us that the White House had it in front of them and were looking into it," he said. Later, Mansell was informed on a flight that he had received a full presidential pardon. He was left completely speechless and deeply emotional. He said it was a moment he would never forget, especially after going through such a long legal battle. 'I was speechless. I couldn't even say thank you. I just soaked it in," he said. "I'm just so grateful. I have said thank you every step of the way. Words can't explain it," he said. "I know that the White House took a look at this and they decided it was worth it. And, I got President Trump's signature," Mansell added.
New York Post
29-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Florida diver convicted of freeing 19 sharks says he's ‘speechless' after getting pardon from President Trump
A Florida-based shark diver convicted of illegally freeing marine wildlife intended for research off the Sunshine State's coast was left 'speechless' after receiving a surprise pardon from President Trump. Tanner Mansell, 31, received the shocking news while boarding a plane on May 28, nearly five years after he was first accused of unwittingly cutting a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration longline and releasing 19 sharks and a giant grouper back into the ocean. 'We were really surprised to get the pardon,' Mansell told Fox News Digital. 4 Tanner Mansell reacting to receiving a presidential pardon. FOX News 'I was getting a call from my lawyer and I answered, and he says, 'Well, I've got good news for you. You just got a full presidential pardon.' I was speechless. I couldn't even say thank you. I just soaked it in.' Mansell and his charter boat captain, John Moore Jr., who also received a pardon, were ordered to fork over more than $3,300 in restitution after they were convicted in 2022 of theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. 4 Mansell, 31, received the shocking news while boarding a plane on May 28. FOX News The two men avoided prison time but were ultimately prevented from voting in Florida, owning firearms, and traveling freely outside the country – a condition that had long hindered Mansell's ability to obtain travel visas to carry out his conservation efforts. 'I'm just so grateful,' he told the outlet. 'I have said thank you every step of the way. Words can't explain it. I've always considered myself a law-abiding citizen, somebody that doesn't break the law and I respect law enforcement and commercial fishermen.' 4 Donald Trump granted the pardon to Mansell and his charter boat captain. AFP via Getty Images In August 2020, the pair of divers came across the longline connected to a buoy about three miles off Jupiter Inlet and, believing it to be illegal, cut it, freeing the apex predators and grouper in the process, according to court documents. The men reported their actions to state wildlife officials and brought the line back to shore – but were later hit with federal charges and ultimately found guilty by a jury two years later. 'In our mind, the entire time, we thought we were uncovering a crime rather than committing a crime,' Mansell said. 4 Diver interacting with a shark underwater. FOX News 'I just felt like my world came to a stop, my heart sank. We called [law enforcement], we did everything that we could. The judge made a comment, and he commended us for our dedication to [the environment]. He gave out what my lawyer said was probably the lowest sentence ever.' Mansell's attorney, Ian Goldstein, told the outlet that the case should never have been filed, framing the maritime incident as an 'honest mistake' made by two individuals saving sharks they believed were in danger. 'I can't think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon,' Goldstein said. With Post wires.
Fox News
28-06-2025
- Fox News
Diver who freed sharks gets Trump pardon after felony conviction stuns him: 'My heart sank'
A Florida-based diver thought he was doing the right thing when he freed a group of sharks—but instead, it led to a felony charge and, years later, a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. On May 28, Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr. were two of the sixteen recipients of Trump's full pardons after the pair were convicted in 2020 of theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. Mansell, 31, of Jupiter, Fla., reflected on the fateful day leading to his conviction and the eventual unexpected pardon from the White House. In April 2020, Mansell and Moore took a group, which included the Kansas City police chief and a SWAT officer, and encountered a buoy connected to a longline over a dive site. A longline is a type of deep-sea fishing gear with baited hooks to catch fish. "It was just another ordinary day on the water," Mansell said. "I had been running trips there for years and never had anything like this happen. I spotted something red in the distance thinking that, you know, maybe it was trash or a diver," he said. "We saw that it was a buoy connected to a line, which is when we started calling law enforcement." Unaware that the longline belonged to a legally sanctioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shark research operation, Mansell and his team acted swiftly and cut the line. They released 19 sharks back into the ocean. "I had no idea that this could be possible, you know, that you could have a permit to kill all these sharks," he said, noting that they had called the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) and NOAA's hotline before making the decision. "In our mind, the entire time, we thought we were uncovering a crime rather than committing a crime," he said. That belief quickly unraveled. Days later, Mansell said he received a call while out to dinner. "I just felt like my world came to a stop, my heart sank," he said. "We called [law enforcement], we did everything that we could." Despite their outreach to law enforcement, both divers were charged and convicted. While they avoided prison time, they were ordered to pay $3,343.72 in restitution, and the felony convictions prevented them from voting, owning firearms and traveling freely. "The judge made a comment, and he commended us for our dedication to [the] environment," he said. "He gave out what my lawyer said was probably the lowest sentence ever." Looking back, Mansell said he would have acted differently if he had known the law surrounding legal shark killings. "Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would do things completely differently," he said. "But if I didn't know that there were permits for this, I don't think that I would change anything… when you think you're doing the right thing, you think you're doing the right thing." "We were really surprised to get the pardon," he added. "It wasn't really discussed by my lawyers because it was so far down the line." A turning point came when the case went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and Judge Barbara Lagoa confirmed what Mansell believed throughout the legal process. "She basically said … this should've never gone forward … she's never come across a criminal that has called enforcement to report what they're doing in real time," he said. Publicity from that opinion reached the libertarian Cato Institute, which published an article that eventually caught the attention of the White House. "The White House actually called our lawyers and said that they were looking into this and asked for more information," he said. "That was really cool because our lawyer called us that the White House had it in front of them and were looking into it." Mansell learned of his pardon while boarding a plane, sharing he was left "speechless" from the news. "I was getting a call from my lawyer and I answered, and he says, 'Well, I've got good news for you. You just got a full presidential pardon.' I was speechless. I couldn't even say thank you. I just soaked it in." Mansell profusely thanked the White House and Trump for the pardon. "All I can say is thank you. And I hope that, you know, maybe in the name of sharks, we can all take a look at what's happening and say that [legal killings of sharks] shouldn't be happening in Florida." "I'm just so grateful. I have said thank you every step of the way. Words can't explain it," he said. "I know that the White House took a look at this and they decided it was worth it. And I got President Trump's signature." Though the felony remains technically on record, Mansell said the practical implications of the pardon allow him to continue his work. "The felony is fully forgiven so now I can vote, and I can own a firearm from what I understand," he said. "And most importantly, it expedites getting travel visas for my work in conservation." Asked how his view of government and justice had evolved, Mansell admitted, "At first, I was like, I lost a lot of faith in it. I felt like it was just unfair, but now I'm thankful for the due process." "I've learned so much through this process," he said. "I've always considered myself a law-abiding citizen, somebody that doesn't break the law and I respect law enforcement and commercial fisherman." "I got through into this political battle between commercial fisheries and shark diving tourism and it's tough, but now I'm on the other side," he said. "At first I lost a lot of faith in the criminal justice system and now, a bit of that faith in the justice system is restored. There are a lot of checks and balances for a reason." Mansell remains committed to shark conservation and hopeful his case will raise awareness. "This case never should have been filed," Mansell's attorney, Ian Goldstein, said in a statement. "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."
The Independent
05-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Diver convicted of freeing sharks off Florida coast says he was surprised by presidential pardon
A shark-diving charter boat captain convicted of theft for freeing 19 sharks and a giant grouper from a fisherman's longline off the coast of Florida says he's felt like he was living in an alternate universe for the past five years. That changed last week when he received a presidential pardon. 'This is something I never thought I'd hold,' John Moore Jr. said Tuesday, as he showed off the document with U.S. President Donald Trump 's signature scrawled across the bottom. Moore and crew member Tanner Mansell were convicted in 2022 of theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. The two men avoided prison time but were ordered to pay $3,343.72 in restitution. The felony convictions prevented them from voting in Florida, owning firearms or traveling freely outside the U.S. Moore said he and his attorneys were surprised by the pardon, because they hadn't petitioned for one. 'We didn't reach out to the White House,' Moore said. 'We never approached them for a pardon, because that was kind of skipping steps, like we had actually filed the paperwork to take this to the Supreme Court.' Moore and Mansell spotted the longline about 3 miles (5 kilometers) off the Jupiter Inlet in August 2020, according to court records. Believing it was an illegal fishing line, the men freed the sharks and a grouper, reported it to state wildlife officials and brought the line back to shore. Federal prosecutors later charged the men with theft. Officials said the line belonged to a fisherman licensed by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration to catch sharks for research. Mansell and Moore were convicted by a jury, and their appeals were later denied. The full and unconditional pardons signed by Trump erase those convictions. 'Would I have done something different, now that I know that that was a legal line?' Moore asked. 'I was a commercial fisherman. I would never touch a legal line. But now I know more about this, that those things can exist.'
