Suspect cruises to Cuba from the Florida Keys in an overdue rental boat: MCSO

STOCK ISLAND, Fla. - A Texas man has been arrested after deputies say he made a voyage to Cuba in a boat he rented on Stock Island and did not return. 

The backstory:

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd Dean Devasier, 63, of Katy, Texas, rented a 26.5-foot Panga boat from Beach Weekend Key West Marina on Tuesday for two days. 

As part of the rental agreement, all maritime laws were supposed to be followed, which meant that the boat was not to be operated at night, and had to be returned by the end of the day on Wednesday. 

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Investigators say a marina employee noted Devasier bought and filled an extra 20-gallon fuel tank before taking off. 

According to MCSO, Devasier told the marina he would dock the boat overnight on the 6800 block of Front Street on Stock Island in accordance with the no-night operation clause of the rental agreement. 

Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

However, multiple business and vessel owners on Front Street later told the sheriff’s office the vessel was never docked there and they never observed it being there. 

Security footage never showed the rental boat arriving.

Dig deeper:

MCSO said the marina owners observed GPS tracking that showed the rental boat heading south in the Atlantic Ocean before tracking ceased. 

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When they called Devsaier and he didn’t respond, the marina owners contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

A fisherman reported seeing the vessel off the U.S. coastline and took pictures.

Courtesy: Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office

On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office learned that the Cuban Border Guard notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Investigations that the rental boat and Devasier as well as a 38-year-old adult female were in their custody.

Investigators said Devasier flew to Miami, Florida on Thursday and was arrested by federal authorities via a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office warrant for hiring or leasing with the intent to defraud.

Devasier has multiple prior convictions for drug-related offenses, including a case in 2019 where a vessel kept past its due date was also located in Cuba.

What they're saying:

"I want to thank the U.S. Coast Guard, HSI, the Cuban Border Guard and the good Samaritan on the water for their help and cooperation in bringing this case to a successful conclusion," said Sheriff Rick Ramsay.