Two males have been charged with killing 3,600 birds in Montana – together with federally protected eagles.
Simon Paul and Travis John Branson have every been charged with one depend of alleged conspiracy and 13 counts of violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Federal prosecutors mentioned they’ve messages from Branson stating that he was “committing felonies” and “telling buyers he was ‘on a killing spree’ to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales”.
Branson would journey from Washington state to the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana to fulfill Paul who would “help kill, transport and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market”, in accordance with the indictment.
Paul “was a ‘shooter’ and ‘shipper’ of bald and golden eagles” for his co-defendant, the indictment mentioned.
The bald eagle “is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol, which reflects America’s ideals of freedom”, in accordance with the court docket papers.
“In total, the defendants killed approximately 3,600 birds, including eagles,” the indictment mentioned.
“The defendants then illegally sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.”
The killings came about between January 2019 and March 2021, the federal government mentioned.
The indictment didn’t specify how lots of the 3,600 birds have been protected.
The defendants haven’t been arrested however they’ve been ordered to seem in court docket on 8 January.
The high conspiracy depend is punishable by as much as 5 years in jail and a $250,000 (£200,000) tremendous.
Source: information.sky.com”