A Washington man will face nearly four years of prison time after pleading guilty to killing and selling hundreds of protected eagles and hawks.
Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington, was accused last year of participating in a poaching scheme that killed roughly 3,600 birds on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation. Federal prosecutors said Branson and co-defendant Simon Paul spent six years hunting birds, including eagles, on the reservation, and then sold them on the black market across the United States.
In the ensuing case, prosecutors traced 118 eagle and 107 hawk deaths directly to Branson using his text messages. They estimate that he made up to $360,000 from his sale of eagle parts.
In text messages, Branson acknowledged the illegality of his actions, saying he was going on a “killing spree” and “committing felonies,” court documents show.
