Kelly McKnight and Paul Dontenville, Assistant Statewide Prosecutors, honored as FWC Prosecutor of the Year

In February, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) honored Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Kelly McKnight and Paul Dontenville with the agency’s Prosecutor of the Year award.

McKnight and Dontenville serve as Assistant Statewide Prosecutors in Tampa for the Office of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and are distinguished professionals who have provided guidance, preparation and prosecution for the most complex organized crime cases of fish and wildlife violations in the state of Florida.

They have been involved in two separate Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act prosecutions for fish and wildlife violations, Operation Alligator Thief and Operation Bayed Solid. Operation Alligator Thief was the first RICO prosecution ever completed in FWC history. RICO cases are long-term and extremely complex.

“We commend Special Counsels McKnight and Dontenville for their dedication of many hours to ensure that the FWC would succeed in the prosecution of major organized resource crime cases in Florida. On behalf of the FWC, I would like to sincerely thank them both for their extraordinary efforts to conserve Florida’s wildlife resources,” said Maj. Roger Young, FWC Regional Commander.

Investigations prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution must meet a strict criterion. These RICO investigations begin with these prosecutors involved from the onset. The number of hours involved, late night calls, last-minute crisis throughout these multi-year investigations are immeasurable. Special Counsels McKnight and Dontenville’s commitment to the protection of fish and wildlife resources has ensured these most serious commercial resource crimes were prosecuted to the highest level.