Washington Man Guilty: Killed 3000+ Birds & Sold on Black Market
Many of the birds killed illegally were both Golden and Bald eagles.
2 Men, 1 from Washington State, Plead Guilty to Bird Killings
Over 3000 birds were killed in Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation and other locations in the northwest and then their parts were sold on the black market. Two men were arrested in connection to the bird killings and both have pleaded guilty in the case. The original indictment in the case says the men sold "eagle feathers, tails, wings, and other parts for significant sums of cash.” The men, 42-year-old Simon Paul of St. Ignatius, Montana, and 48-year-old Travis John Branson of Cusick, Washington, now face 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and also one count each of conspiracy and violating wildlife trafficking laws.
Bird Killings Started in 2015 and Lasted Until 2021
The men have been killing rare birds to sell on the black market for a long time. Investigators say the men were illegally hunting the birds near Ronan, Montana, on the Flathead Reservation, which is the home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes since 2015. The indictment says around 3,600 birds were killed but does not say how many of those were eagles. The men continued their illegal hunting until 2021 and had recently text changed with potential buyers that they were currently on a killing spree for bird parts.
Bald and Golden Eagles are Very Protected by US Law
Bald eagles are the national symbol of the United States and are considered sacred to native American Indians. Currently, United States law prohibits anyone without a permit from killing, wounding, or even disturbing eagles. Taking any parts such as nests or eggs is also very illegal. You can even be charged with a crime if you take feathers found in the wild for personal use. Branson faces multiple years in prison and large fines under the terms of the plea agreement. He also has to complete restitution of damages including those from offenses dismissed under the plea deal. You can read more about the story at apnews.com.