2 face felony costs over balloon pollution in Biscayne Bay; might face time in prison

MIAMI – A 26-year-old lady and a 29-year-old man are dealing with felony costs over the disposal of balloons into Biscayne Bay after these have been used to decorate a yacht during a marriage proposal.

A witness shared a video on Instagram and environmentalists had been outraged. Marine animals often mistake the nonbiodegradable deflated balloons for jellyfish. Turtles eat it. Seabirds feed it to their younger.

Miami-Dade police officers also issued civil citations with greater than $23,000 in fines for the illegal dumping at the Bayshore Touchdown Marina in Coconut Grove. This has been a more painful learning expertise for Martina Gaspoz and David Torres-Bocanegra who had been each working.

Officers arrested Gaspoz on Friday and Torres-Bocanegra on Wednesday. They're dealing with prices of willful disregard for the surroundings, a third-degree felony punishable with a superb of as much as $50,000 or imprisonment for 5 years, or both. Her bond was $5,000.

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Officers arrested Torres-Bocanegra for reckless disregard for the setting, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable with a tremendous of up to $10,000 or 60 days in jail, or both. His bond was $500. Detective Angel Rodriguez later clarified there was a mistake with the charge.

Detectives didn't take into account the couple who obtained engaged on Tuesday to be the culprits. As an alternative, officers issued citations to the two companies — the occasion planner and the yacht constitution — that the future groom hired.

Also, not everyone who obtained a $2,510 quotation actually touched the balloons or was present for the celebration.

Dessideria D’Caro De Capriles, of Doral, is the owner of the constitution yacht. Gabriela Castillo was the occasion coordinator. Francisco Feo was the person in command of the constitution firm. Officers also cited Tulio Capriles, Iulia Tyshchenko, Viacheslav Diadiura, and Efrain Hernandez.

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Environmental advocates need Miami-Dade officials to do extra.

The Florida Ocean CleanUp Society, a nonprofit group, arrange a Change.org petition asking Miami-Dade’s Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, the chief bay officer, and commissioners to pilot a new ordinance banning balloons and confetti in coastal waters.

“Banning balloons and confetti isn’t going to unravel the pollution drawback. Nonetheless, we consider it’s vital and necessary to spark a cultural shift,” the petitioner wrote adding, “We beg the Miami-Dade county to pass laws to protect our ecosystem and increase environmental consciousness among boaters and the constitution industry.”

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For more tales about defending Biscayne Bay, go to the Don’t Trash Our Treasure web page. Native 10 News Environmental Advocate Louis Aguirre leads the group.

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