Presidential Pardon Clears Convictions of South Florida Shark Divers

Two South Florida shark divers, Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr., who were convicted of theft for freeing 19 sharks and a giant grouper from a fisherman’s longline off the coast of Florida, have been pardoned by President Donald Trump. The pardons, signed on Wednesday, erase their 2022 convictions for theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. Although they avoided prison time, the felony convictions had significant repercussions, including restrictions on voting, firearm ownership, and international travel.

Moore, the captain of a shark-diving charter boat, and Mansell, a crew member, encountered the longline approximately three miles off the Jupiter Inlet in August 2020. Believing it to be an illegal fishing line, they cut the line to free the marine animals, reported the incident to state wildlife officials, and brought the line ashore. Federal prosecutors subsequently charged them with theft, asserting that the line belonged to a licensed fisherman conducting shark research for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

Despite their convictions and failed appeals, Trump’s full and unconditional pardons have now cleared their records. “We never stopped fighting, and justice has finally prevailed,” said Moore’s attorney, Marc Seitles. Mansell’s attorney, Ian Goldstein, echoed the sentiment, stating, “This case never should have been filed. 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.”