‘Orbs’ hidden in man’s van were the eggs of protected sea creature, FL cops say

Falling asleep in a van led to criminal charges when deputies found the snoozing driver’s possessions included eggs from a protected sea turtle’s nest, Florida officials said.

The unusual discovery was made Sunday, Sept. 14, in Beverly Beach, as the suspect sat outside the home of someone he was previously accused of attacking, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

A 500-foot “no-contact order” was in place in that case, prompting deputies to rouse the van driver, 53-year-old Wesley Winters, and start asking questions, officials said.

“As Winters was exiting, the deputy noticed several white and tan orbs, which were covered in sand, in a tray on the floorboard between Winters’ feet. The deputy immediately identified the objects as sea turtle eggs and notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to respond,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Winters had told the deputy the eggs were from two nests that had eroded away, and he had picked up the eggs after seeing them washing down the beach. He stated that he knew the eggs were unhatched, but that he believed they were non-viable.”

A species for the eggs was not given. But Florida is a nesting destination for endangered or threatened sea turtles, including loggerheads, green turtles, leatherbacks and Kemp’s Ridley turtles, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports.

The nests and eggs are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, and Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act, the FWC reports.

An FWC officer was summoned to Beverly Beach and took possession of the eggs found in the van, officials said. Details of the viability of the eggs were not released.

Winters, who lives in Ormond Beach, was arrested and charged with “five misdemeanor counts of knowingly possessing 11 or fewer marine turtle eggs and five felony counts of taking, disturbing, mutilating, or destroying marine turtle eggs,” the sheriff’s office said. His bond was set at $24,000, jail records show.

Beverly Beach is about an 80-mile drive northeast from Orlando.

This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 7:47 AM with the headline "‘Orbs’ hidden in man’s van were the eggs of protected sea creature, FL cops say."