He says you can sometimes see the elephants from the porch as they stroll to Watermelon Pond for a drink. Florida Man takes many forms; in Cocaine Island, hes Rodney Hyden, the self-made owner of a construction company that once boasted 80 employees. He loves wine. If you need help with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. Frankly, we were a tiny little indie film, and we wouldnt be able to do it justice. No, but we might dare you to, but we dont think that you should. The two men catch a flight to San Juan, then a puddle jumper to Culebra. I didnt know exactly how Rodney was going to feel about it. I think the jury just didnt like me, Rodney says later. Ive helped a lot of families. Looking for that next question there. WebTv shows. "This is the most unusual case I've ever had.". Rodney Hyden would. She is deeply devoted to her chocolate Labradorand an avid long distance runner. Ex: (By John Smith, Citizen Truth). But yeah, you could. In an effort to buy more time, he dragged the package up the beach, dug a depression near the rocks, and covered it with leaves and debris. Carlos does not like the sound of this. McEnany is more experienced and seems to have called most of the shots in the operation. At my age, I should know better. He mentions the moment Carlos told him to go to the car by himself. "The fence line was mapped out. (Perhaps thats the ponytails power of suggestion.) Rodney Hyden has been associated with three companies, according to public records. TL: Well, Rodney is gonna be an actor. Kind of a big question. "That ground is rock! Weight and local value: 220 pounds, nearly $10 millionAd hoc flotation devices: Four blue oil drums. Not all treasure found in the Caribbean is illegal. The Legend of Cocaine Islandtells the true story of a Florida man (Rodney Hyden) who came into hard times like so many with theGreat Recession of 2008. RH: Favorite movies. "Honestly, they never dug anything up," Hyden posits. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Damn, Rodney thinks, theyre living up to their end of the deal. Woman, 66, has been missing for weeks, Miami cops say, Date night: Ivanka Trump posts picture with Jared Kushner at this Miami hot spot, DeSantis elevates second in command to lead new Florida State Guard, Man caught with water gun full of poison was on way to kill ex-wife in Texas, feds say, 1 dead, 7 wounded by gunfire at event honoring Martin Luther King Jr., Florida cops say, Driver fleeing cops after party crashes into vehicle, killing one, Florida officials say, A Palm Beach sex offender changed his name online. Whats sad, Rodney tells Carlos, is that youre so good to do business with. The judge struggles to arrive at what he deems to be a just sentence, ultimately handing down sixty days behind bars followed by five years of community service. Over the years, Rodney became obsessed with the fantasy of retrieving that buried cocaine. Part of the reason Joe contacted me is that nobody in his office really believed him, McEnany says, smiling. But first, one final thing: I know this may seem unnecessary at this point, I say, but will you tell me the story? Its been a great response. Youre going to laugh at this, Rodney says. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. His plan to dig up the cocaine became a little more real after teaming up with Andy, a friend of his son who he sometimes hired to do chores. ", He also opened up about his time in prison in his 2015 interview with GQ. Because I dont advise it. Rodney's net worth hovers over $5,000 - $9,999 with a yearly income that's about $40 - 49,999. The doc, out Mar. Rodney decides, if its there, nobodys gonna be able to get it out. Did anything funny happen on set? Required fields are marked *. It looks like you took a very theatrical route. That's where he met Julian and heard about the legend of $2 million worth of cocaine buried near a sea turtle sanctuary. Support my work with a digital subscription, Century-old missile at pawn shop forces Florida city to reroute traffic, cops say, DeSantis wants to permanently ban COVID health protocols in Florida, Surfside candidate who lost election bid is now in jail on murder charges in Broward, Odd armored fish seen hanging from mouth of Florida heron. The Legend of Cocaine Island treats Hyden's arrest by Homeland Security as entrapment. Before I met you, Rodney says, I looked at what it would cost to charter a jet. RETIRED FEBRUARY 2017 Menasha, WI. What if we go get it and you pay us eight bricks instead of four? Thank you so much. RH: Tell me what Im getting into first before we make that decision, Theo. by Wess Haubrich, Citizen Truth December 6, 2019, This article first appeared on Citizen Truth and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.. One of the most important questions her fans keep asking about Hayden Winters would be how much does she actually have? Seen it before. I find myself just going back over and over to their movies, and withCocaine Island, I watchedThe Big Lebowskiquite a few times. Full Summary Lets see. You see Julian lived in Puerto Rico for a time years before, when one day he found a suspicious package, on the beach. Were not making a serious documentary.. Who is Rodney Hyden? Julian in the reenactment of the original tale. But Ive been called a lot worse in the industry that I work in, so I thought that was a compliment. So blame the perfect conditions of just the right story told just the right way in just the right environment. There are thirty-two kilos in the ground, so thats about a million bucksespecially if they can unload some of it in New York instead of Florida. Hyden,a builder in Gainesville, got the idea when a neighbor told him he had found and buried a bale of cocaine two decades ago. His formerly booming construction business comes to a standstill. WebWe know that Rodney is married at this point. Which is no big deal if those ideas stay back here. The Legend of Cocaine Island tells the true tale of a Florida man who attempted to sell illegal Caribbean treasure he found buried on an island. He e-mails Carlos: Did you find the nest? And then, just like that, bam, an e-mail with a photo. More than 15 years went by before that fateful night in July 2004 when Julian told Rodney Hyden about it. Rodney, what was it that drew you in about the original fireside story that Julian told? "And they did.". Forced to abandon a luxurious home and move his family into a double-wide in Archer, Fla., Hyden starts getting desperate. Its just, the market fell out, so what am I left with? He introduced Hyden to a pilot named Carlos who said he could fly the cocaine into the U.S. Rodney and Andy flew to Culebra. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. In many ways it makes my job a lot easier. Thats a goal of mine, but a lot of times when you are researching these true stories, the real people who lived the events are better than any actor you could get, and people like to tell their own side of the story. But he cut some into a jelly jar he kept in the kitchen, the way you keep nutmeg around for the rare party that requires eggnog. The Untold Truth Of Jewel's Mother - Lenedra Carro Hwanwoong (ONEUS) - Age, Height, Girlfriend, Net W Geoff Stults Net Worth, Wife, Children, Siblings, Who is UFC MMA fighter, Urijah Faber? Rodney nearly shits his pants as they approach Culebra. You got anything to tell me? Rodney asked for a lawyer. Besides the neighbors Ive heard about beforeRodney and his wife and daughter, Julian and his Airstream, the guy with the fire pitthere are a handful of others, including a Vietnam vet, who serves as the lone-wolf neighborhood watch, and a man with two pet elephants. Floating in Dunlough Bay, West Cork, Ireland (July 2007), 6. the Swamp. B&H Builders grew to eighty employees. Still, it was wrapped so thoroughly in plastic and rubber, he couldnt tell for sure what he was dealing with. RH: [Laughs] Theres only one Let me tell you, man. Rodney, therefore, is charged for intent to distribute not what federal agents actually found but what he was expecting them to finda crime of anticipation. Rodney Fosters net worth is $2.5 million, which he earned while working in the wine industry. In previous meetings with Danny, Rodney had been firm about wanting to work with a pilot he knew personally, but Danny has persuaded him to meet with some experienced drug-running pros. So we filmed it with cinema lenses and cinema cameras. Rodney Hyden heard the siren song of Julians famous Culebra cocaine story so many times that it began to take on a mythic, irresistible quality. 2023byTango Publishing Corporation All Rights Reserved. We wanted to make it truly feel like you were on an adventure. Its a modern tale of misadventure that does echo the Coens. We're talking about 32 kilograms of cocaine. Melissa De Sousa Vindicates The Character We Love to Hate in The Black Women Gave The Best Film Performances Of The Year. Later Ill tell Rodney I get it, I get why it worked. He slides the duffel onto the bench seat in the back. RH: No, absolutely not. He doesnt think of it as a treasure map, but its a treasure map. TL: Im in post on my next feature, a future documentary. Rodney had been raised in Gainesville, worked summers at his fathers work sites, and enrolled in the building-construction program at the University of Florida, right there in town. Overcome with dreams of buried treasure and easy wealth, Hyden had fallen right into a joint Homeland Security and Alachua County Sheriff's Office sting. At the time of my visit, its two years to the week since Rodneys arrest. Yeah. Between 15 and 20 years ago, on the shores of the Pirates of the Caribbean-esque island Culebra, Julian stumbled upon a bale of cocaine. This story could literally happen to anybody, Wess. Treasure, treasure, treasure," Hyden says, describing how the story fired his imagination. How does that sound? Rodney Hyden was the president of a construction company and a family man. Turns out the home was carted off just a few months ago. If somebody else was in that position and came across this story, they might react in the same way. WebRodney Hayden Net Worth Rodney Hayden Net Worth 2022, Age, Height, Relationships, Married, Dating, Family, Wiki Biography. Rodney maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Sarah Hayden, Melissa Suhoney, John Hayden, Delena Sage and Shandi Russell. Hyden, a builder in Gainesville, got the idea when a neighbor told him he had found and buried a bale of On the third take, Hyden realized they were filming him deliberately mess up but he went along with the joke. El Neg gives us cash for coke, and we split. In March, Danny drops by again. But Ill let you know when I can give you more details. It was almost funny. TL: Yeah. I make documentaries and that involves getting into real peoples lives. I just heard about it today. Youll have to watch the film to find out trust me, you wont regret it. Blame the elephants. Rodney articulates his desire to travel to Puerto Rico to unearth the bale himselfhe feels he owes that to Julianand Rodney and Grant hash out the logistics of getting the coke off the island. What a shit-ton of fishing line and tackle weve wasted, the sixty-day sentence suggests, for such a small fish. Innovation there (referencing Love) made that happen. That morning, the first time Danny mentions it, The sudden timing isnt surprising so much as the partner he brings along: Andy Culpepper. But he cant fight the impression made by the surveillance footageRodney sitting like a don at his office desk, spitting into a cup, talking up his weed stash and firearm, assessing the prospects of a cocaine airdrop as easy as shit.. The Legend of Cocaine Island follows construction company president Rodney Hyden, inspired to search out a bag loaded with bricks of cocaine after hearing the story from his friend, a hippy named Julian, who claims to have found the bag washed up on a beach in Puerto Rico and, unsure what to do, buries it. I think that my approach is definitely to get the subject as involved in that storytelling process as possible. But you kept insisting., Rodney takes some serious convincing but eases into a reversal, now that Carlos is offering to do the heavy lifting. My pleasure. "Everyone involved thought the whole time, 'Somebody is going to make a movie out of this one day,'" McEnany said. This fact is paramount to Rodneys lawyer, Mark Rosenblum, a Jacksonville attorney who looks a little like Joe Lieberman minus the parts that remind people of the emperor from Star Wars. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Hes got his arms crossed and a fat lip packed with Copenhagen, spitting into a Solo cup, sort of bouncing in his chair. Youre going above and beyond. And I wanted to be there doing it. A man named Julian told him at a happy hour with a bunch of other men from Archer, Florida about a bale of cocaine that he had hidden near a sanctuary for sea turtles after it washed up on a beach. From the beginning, various observers have ascribed his motivation to greed (thats the view of law enforcement); the recession (small-business owners); the desire to leave an inheritance for his wife and daughter (fans of Breaking Bad); stupidity and hubris and a midlife crisis (some of the papers that cover the story). Danny delivered a few small-beans drug tips, and then one day he mentioned this story his friend Andy had told him. Its over. He started to think that he could rebuild his wealth if he could just find that cocaine. Regardless. "It would've been worth about $1.1 million," McEnany said. In The Legend of Cocaine Island,Hyden says:"Julian was sitting on a gold mine; were talking about 32 kilograms of cocaine X marks the spot, treasure, treasure, treasure. He was convicted but was released from jail 60 days later. RH: Yeah. Its an invasive species, Have you seen Maura Lockhart? how old is lydia cornell; bolivian And Im going, Wow, sounds like its some good stuff. Julian has never seemed to care that much about the moneyhe just loves spinning the talebut Rodney wants to make sure Julian gets his windfall while theres still time to enjoy it. "Look, its the stupidest thing Ive ever done in my life; Im not proud of it," he said. Still, hes able to locate the cistern, where the bale is buried. Its emotional. [Director Theo Love] made me do it 50 times at least," Hyden said. It'sa crazy story. But all of that's beside the point if you're looking for a $2 million cache of illegal narcotics. But with this story, it was such a unique Florida story, I felt like we did take the style a little bit further than you might see in a typical documentary. Right, Rodney? And you wonder why it was the last shot. Though those sorts of numbers werent on Julians radar. TL: Rodney wanted to make sure that this was accurate, and that we portrayed him the way he was. Since serving time, Hyden has been fulfilling his community service duty at Alachua Countys Habitat for Humanity. Rodney tells Carlos and Grant the whole story, emphasizing the supposed quality of the product. You cant systematically republish all of our articles, nor frame the content of our site. His mansion was opulent enough to comfort him. WebHere are some of the phone numbers that are related to Rodney Hyden: 352-495-8590, 352-495-2365, 352-333-7716, 352-538-1768, 352-504-7085, 352-372-7424. You know, I think they will. A question for both of you, Im sure theres probably many, but any funny or memorable moments that stick out from the process of filming? Hed grown close with those folks out in Archer and had decided to move there himself. Julian finds it all sorts of funny that Im back here, that I even heard of the story at all. Im gonna tell you honestly, Rodney says, I never wanted to come over here. Do you regret anything? Julian mulled over what to do with all of that cocaine. In fact, it wasnt really worth anything at all. Im not calling Carlos again. Florida man Rodney Hyden has fallen on hard times, along with the rest of the country. Its a very Coen Brothers story, too, when you think about it. He approached it tentatively, as though it were an animal that might wake. Except that over the years, it seems, water and sand and coral have calcified into a top layer as hard as concrete. Rodneys down to two employees, including himself, and billing just $600,000 a year. So I called Rodney up one day and asked if he wanted to make a movie. TL: Yeah. He would literally be by himself. Rodney was in the drivers seat the whole time. At the end, in the parking lot, McEnany helped Rodney off the ground and moved him to an official vehicle. Blame the snap of the fire and the warmth of the wine. He did bury that bale in the first place, after all, and Rodneys plan called for Julian to clear $250,000. Hes brilliant. Theres definitely that playful suggestion at the end which worked really well withCocaine Islandconsidering the films tone though. Ad Choices. Then he buried the rest. Believe what you want. Still, he was charged with the intention of distributing the cocaine he expected to find, as reported by The Gainesville Sun. 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