MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Two men killed about 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, during a “killing spree” on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then sold eagle parts on a black market that has been a long-running problem for U.S. wildlife officials, a federal grand jury indictment says.
The men worked with others to hunt and kill the birds, according to the indictment, and in at least one instance used a dead deer to lure in an eagle that was shot. The two defendants conspired with others who weren’t named to sell eagle feathers, tails, wings and other parts for “significant sums of cash” across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment said.
Simon Paul, 42, of St. Ignatius, Montana and Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Washington, face 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating wildlife trafficking laws.
Text messages obtained by investigators showed Branson and others telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment that described Paul as a “shooter” for Branson.
The indictment did not say how many of the 3,600 birds killed were eagles, and federal officials did not immediately respond to questions about the case.
Bald eagles are the national symbol of the United States, and both bald and golden eagles are widely considered sacred by American Indians. U.S. law prohibits anyone without a permit from killing, wounding or disturbing eagles or taking any parts such as nests or eggs. Even taking feathers found in the wild can be a crime.
Federally recognized tribes can apply for permits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take a bald or golden eagle for religious purposes, and enrolled tribal members can apply for eagle feathers and other parts from the National Eagle Repository. But federal law does not allow individuals to kill bald or golden eagles.
Bald eagles were killed off across most of the U.S. last century, due in large part to the pesticide DDT, but flourished under federal protections and came off the endangered species list in 2007. Their population has been rapidly increasing in recent years. Golden eagle populations are less secure, and researchers say energy development, lead poisoning, illegal shootings and other problems have pushed the species to the brink of decline.
There are an estimated 346,000 bald eagles in the U.S., versus about 40,000 golden eagles, which need much larger areas to survive and are more inclined to have trouble with humans.
Widespread illegal eagle killings last decade brought a federal investigation that resulted in criminal convictions against 17 defendants from several states and two South Dakota pawn shops. In that case, the inspected bird parts were bought and sold over the internet, including in Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. Earlier this year a Montana man was sentenced to three years in prison after prosecutors in South Dakota said he sold golden eagle tails for several hundred dollars each.
The grand jury indictment unsealed last week alleges Paul and Branson conspired to kill and sell the eagles illegally near Ronan, Montana, from 2015 and 2021. Branson traveled from Washington state to the Flathead Reservation to shoot the eagles. Paul lived near the reservation and would also help to Branson ship the animals to buyers.
“When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market,” the indictment states.
Paul and Branson were not in custody and were issued summons to appear for arraignments on Jan. 8.
Court documents did not name attorneys for the men, and they could not be immediately reached at telephone numbers listed for them.
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