Washington man sentenced in black market eagle killing operation

A Washington man received a nearly four-year prison sentence on Thursday, Oct. 31, for his involvement in a black market operation. Hundreds of protected eagles and hawks were killed and trafficked in the operation, coming from the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, federal prosecutors announced.

Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and trafficking charges in March after investigators traced a pattern of illegal wildlife activities back to him.

Between 2015 and 2021, Branson traveled from Washington to western Montana, where he collaborated with co-defendant Simon Paul, currently a fugitive, in what prosecutors described as a “killing spree” targeting bald and golden eagles, as well as hawks.

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U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen sentenced Branson to three years and 10 months in federal prison, ordered him to pay $777,250 in restitution, and mandated three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana said Branson was involved in the illegal killing of approximately 3,600 birds, including at least 118 eagles and 107 hawks, confirmed through digital evidence such as text messages.

In conversations with buyers, Branson referred to his activities as “killing sprees” and commented that he didn’t “get em for free though ..out hear committing felonies” and that his cost to kill them was “the price of a bullet.”

Prosecutors say Branson and Paul also used deer carcasses to lure eagles, enhancing their hunting effectiveness on the reservation, home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

The case underscores a larger issue, rising black market demand for eagle feathers and parts, which are used in certain Native American ceremonies.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has established a legal feather distribution program for tribal members, but a yearslong backlog has created a gap that traffickers have exploited. Eagle feathers, revered as symbols of strength and sacred to Native American traditions, are legally protected and cannot be sold on the open market.

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Federal wildlife officials noted that their investigations into poaching often rely on tips from tribal communities and other citizens committed to ending wildlife trafficking.

“The unlawful killing of these majestic birds violates federal law and is a profound offense against our nation’s cherished natural heritage,” Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, said.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes expressed deep concern about the impacts of the operation on their cultural heritage and ecosystem.

“Eagles are not only a treasured and important part of the Reservation’s ecosystem, but they also have a profound place in C.S.K.T. cultural and spiritual practices,” Tribal Chairman Mike Dolson said.