Montana men charged in the killing and trafficking of bald eagles

At least two men in Montana were indicted after they allegedly killed thousands of birds, including bald eagles.

Simon Paul, 42, and Travis John Branson, 48, are accused of murdering thousands of birds before selling off their parts and feathers on the black market, according to a report.

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The men were charged with one count of conspiracy, 13 counts of unlawfully trafficking bald and golden eagles, and one count of violating the Lacey Act, the report noted.

The Lacey Act bans “the trafficking of illegally taken wildlife.”

“The defendants then illegally sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere,” prosecutors argued.

Paul and Branson are accused of illegally slaying upward of 3,600 birds from January 2015 to March 2021 near the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Bald eagles represent strength and freedom in the U.S., but they nearly faced extinction in the 1990s due to habitat destruction, fish contamination, and the fragility of their eggs, the report noted.

In 1940, killing bald eagles became illegal, and the bird was added to the endangered species list in 1967.

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Healing population led to bald eagles being moved to the threatened species list in 2007, according to the report.

Should Paul and Branson be convicted, they would face upward of 11 years in prison and $275,000 fines, respectively.