Prosecutors say wildlife trafficking gang kills at least 118 eagles

A Washington man involved in an illegal wildlife trade ring that allegedly killed thousands of birds across the Western US will appear in federal court next week.

Travis John Branson is accused of playing a key role in illegally killing eagles and selling their feathers and body parts on the black market, making more than $360,000 over a decade.

Branson, from Cusick, Washington, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18 for his role in the scheme, which took place mostly on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana.

According to federal prosecutors, the operation resulted in the killing of at least 118 bald and golden eagles between 2009 and 2021.

They said Branson’s network of traffickers, which sold body parts for use in Native American ceremonies, had made him a considerable fortune.

“It was not unusual for Branson to shoot up to nine eagles at once,” prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana wrote in court documents.

They also claim that Branson not only killed the birds but also dismembered them and then sold their feathers, wings, tails and other body parts for profit.

The U.S. government urges U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen to impose a substantial prison sentence and restitution totaling $777,250.

This amount includes $5,000 for each dead eagle and $1,750 for 107 hawks that were also allegedly killed by Branson and his associates.

However, Branson’s defence lawyer, Andrew Nelson, said prosecution estimates of the number of birds killed were exaggerated.

The accusation that as many as 3,600 birds were killed was made against co-accused Simon Paul, who has been hiding in Canada since the indictment was filed.

Nelson pointed out inconsistencies in Paul’s statements, saying his estimates ranged from 3,600 to 1,000.

Nelson also questioned the amount of restitution paid to the Hawks, saying those killings were not part of last year’s grand jury indictment.

He is seeking a suspended sentence for Branson because his client has no prior criminal record.

Investigators gathered evidence against Branson in the form of text messages that mentioned killing at least 118 eagles and 107 hawks.

But they also said two years of his messages had not been recovered and the full scale of the trafficking ring remained unknown.

Bald eagles and golden eagles are considered sacred in Native American culture, and U.S. law strictly prohibits killing or disturbing them without permission.

Although federally recognized tribes can legally obtain eagle feathers and parts from the National Eagle Repository and other designated facilities, this demand has created a significant backlog that has contributed to the growth of the illegal trade.

Branson pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy, wildlife trafficking and two counts of trafficking in federally protected bald and golden eagles. He faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the most serious charge, conspiracy. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors said they would seek to dismiss additional trafficking charges.

Federal guidelines call for a prison sentence for Branson of three to four years, they say.

The article uses information from the Associated Press