PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Two Florida shark divers who believed they were preventing illegal fishing activity when they freed sharks from a longline in 2020 have received full pardons from President Donald Trump, overturning federal felony convictions that sparked national debate over government overreach.
Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr., both professional shark divers based in Palm Beach County, were convicted of removing federally permitted research equipment during a diving tour off the coast of Jupiter.
WATCH: Pardoned diver thought they were 'uncovering a crime'
The longline they recovered — which had hooked 19 sharks and a protected goliath grouper — was part of a legal federal research project, though the divers say that wasn’t clear at the time.
“We thought we were uncovering a crime,” said Mansell, who described seeing a buoy in the distance and discovering the longline attached. “We were in contact with law enforcement. We were doing the best thing that we knew to do. We thought we were doing the right thing,” Mansell said.
Despite calling the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Mansell said the divers received little guidance and ultimately brought the line to shore after freeing the animals. The U.S. government later charged them with stealing commercial fishing equipment in federal waters — a felony.
“My heart just sank. I was like, 'Oh my gosh,' because I’m not the kind of person who would intentionally break the law. I'm not out there trying to make enemies,” Mansell said.
Mansell’s attorney, Ian Goldstein, said the criminal charges were a clear case of government overreach.
But a jury ultimately convicted the two men after struggling with the case for days. At issue, Goldstein said, were the instructions given to the jury. He said they were very narrow, asking the jury to decide if the line was taken — regardless of the men’s intentions.
“These were two men acting in good faith. They had no criminal intent whatsoever,” said Goldstein. “The jury deliberated for three days and came back to the judge five times saying they were deadlocked.”
Ultimately, both men were convicted and sentenced to probation and fines.
Their case drew widespread attention after legal experts, including Judge Barbara Lagoa of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case.
Appeals failed, but Judge Lagoa issued a sharply worded dissent, specifically naming prosecutor Thomas Watts-Fitzgerald and criticizing him for determining that the case was "worth the public expense of a criminal prosecution, and the lifelong yokes of felony convictions, rather than imposition of a civil fine."
Her opinion caught the attention of the Cato Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, which presented the case to the House Judiciary Committee in May.
“The jurors sent seven notes to the judge begging for a way to acquit before reluctantly convicting Moore and Mansell,” said Mike Fox, a legal fellow at Cato. “That alone should tell you something.”
Fox isn’t sure if his testimony played a part in the case reaching the president’s desk, but says Cato took the case as far up the government as they could.
Just weeks after Fox’s testimony, the divers received a letter from the White House: a full presidential pardon.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told WPTV in a statement:
This case was a prime example of ridiculous government overreach. Mansell and Moore were clearly operating in good faith to remove what was believed to be an illegal fishing line and immediately contacted Florida Fish and Wildlife authorities. President Trump has made clear that lawfare against any American citizen has no place in this country. This administration will always stand against egregious government overreach and protect equal justice under the law.
John Moore Jr.’s attorney, Marc Seitles, also said in a statement: “We are so happy the White House agreed with our arguments that this case should have never been prosecuted. John and Tanner deserved a pat on the back, not a felony conviction.”
Moore and Mansell say the pardon has restored their reputations and their lives.
“Honestly, I think it really is the coolest way that it could have been resolved,” said Mansell.
Requests for comment from federal prosecutor Thomas Watts-Fitzgerald went unanswered. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said it would not be commenting on the pardon.
