Attorney General James Uthmeier and FWC Announce Prison Sentences for Four Criminals Who Burglarized State Parks
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced prison sentences for four criminals connected to a string of state park burglaries. Attorney General Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution charged Chandler Parrish Ellison, Alyssa Michelle Brewer, Aaron Tyler Higgins, and Kayly Dawn Burns with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, armed burglary, and other offenses related to burglarizing ranger stations in state parks from Central Florida and into South Georgia. Each defendant pled guilty.
“Thanks to the cooperative work of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and our Statewide Prosecutors, four individuals who burglarized state parks will serve a collective 38 years behind bars,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Florida parks showcase and preserve the natural beauty of this state, and I thank Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Robert Miller and FWC for pursuing justice and protecting our parks.”
“The collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies have been instrumental in bringing these individuals to justice and mitigating further threats to public property and visitor safety within state parks,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “The FWC and the Florida Attorney General’s Office remain committed to upholding the integrity of Florida’s natural resources and ensuring the safety and security of park visitors and personnel.”
The investigation began in the fall of 2022 after ranger stations at numerous state parks in North Florida were burglarized for money, equipment, and merchandise. In addition to the burglaries, many state parks suffered vandalism and theft of money from the honor boxes near the entrances to various parks where visitors deposited their daily fees.
On September 27, 2024, Chandler Ellison pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, and armed burglary. Under the terms of the plea, Ellison will serve 12 years in prison. On December 20, 2024, Alyssa Brewer pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to eight years in prison. On February 13, 2025, Kayly Burns pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to seven years in prison. On March 13, 2025, Aaron Higgins pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 11 years.
The public can report state park violations to the FWC by downloading the FWC Wildlife Alert app, texting 847411 with the keyword FWC and information about the violation, calling the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC, or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.
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