Two Montana men indicted for poaching of upwards of 3600 bald and golden eagles

Two Montana men indicted for poaching of upwards of 3600 bald and golden eagles
By angelamontana

Posted: December 20, 2023

Earlier this month, Simon Paul and Travis John Branson were formally charged with the unlawful hunting of bald and golden eagles. The indictment was filed on December 7 and alleges their involvement in an illicit operation dedicated to trafficking eagle carcasses and body parts on the black market.

During the investigation law enforcement uncovered messages from BRANSON and others describing the illegal taking of eagles by stating, “[O]ut [here] committing felonies,” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales.

The indictment goes on to state that Paul and Branson, along with others, hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere. According to the indictment, the defendants killed approximately 3,600 birds, including eagles. “The defendants then illegally sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.”

If convicted, Paul and Branson can face decades of prison time and some hefty fines.

Don’t be like Simon Paul and Travid John Branson.

Click here to read an in-depth article about this incident by Blair Miller via Daily Montanan and to see the indictment.

Two Montana men indicted for poaching of upwards of 3600 bald and golden eaglesBy angelamontana

During the investigation law enforcement uncovered messages from BRANSON and others describing the illegal taking of eagles by stating, “[O]ut [here] committing felonies,” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales.

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Two Montana men indicted for poaching of upwards of 3600 bald and golden eagles
By angelamontana