A Washington state man accused of helping kill thousands of birds is expected to plead guilty to shooting eagles on an American Indian reservation in Montana and selling their feathers and body parts on the black market.
This image provided by the US Attorney for the District of Montana from a court document shows golden eagle feet that law enforcement officers recovered from the vehicle of a Washington state man charged with federal wildlife trafficking violations. The defendant is scheduled to plead guilty on March 20, 2024 in Missoula, Mont. in what prosecutors say was an illegal scheme to shoot eagles and sell their parts on the black market.
Multiple phones seized by authorities during the stop yielded photos and text messages that described “the shooting, killing and ultimate selling of bald and golden eagles throughout the United States,” prosecutors said. Branson could not be reached for comment before Wednesday's hearing in Missoula. His public defender declined comment while the case is pending.A federal judge issued an arrest warrant for Paul when he did not show up for an initial court hearing in December.
In a 2016 text message quoted by prosecutors, Branson appeared to acknowledge that shipping eagles internationally was illegal, adding, “I just get em for 99 cents...price of a bullet.”
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