Two Men Indicted for Killing 3,600 Birds, Including Bald Eagles, for Black Market Sales

The alleged six-year hunting spree in Montana could result in fines of $275,000 each and up to 11 years in prison for the defendants.

Simon Paul and Travis John Branson have been indicted by a Montana grand jury for allegedly hunting and killing 3,600 birds, including numerous protected bald and golden eagles, and selling their parts on the black market.
The alleged killings occurred between January 2015 and March 2021 in Western Montana, with the men accused of selling feathers and other parts for 'significant sums of cash' across the United States and elsewhere.
Prosecutors have obtained messages from the defendants, with Branson allegedly stating he was 'on a killing spree' and 'committing felonies'.
The men face fines of $275,000 each and up to 11 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
The bald eagle, a national symbol of the United States, was placed on the endangered species list in 1967 after Congress made killing them illegal in 1940. In 2007, they were taken off all lists of endangered and threatened species.