Rodney E. Smith, 39, of Georgia pleaded guilty to four felonies and was sentenced Oct. 28 to eight years in a Florida prison after an FWC investigation of fraud against hunters.

On May 7 investigators charged him with selling hunting leases in 15 Florida counties while held in a Georgia prison and taking deposits that cost victims thousands of dollars from July 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026. He was extradited Aug. 16 to Gilchrist County.

The pleas covered three third-degree felonies for scheme to defraud less than $20,000, illegal use of a two-way communication device and cheating, plus a first-degree felony for fraudulently offering property for sale or lease. The FWC thanked the Florida Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution for its help.