MISSOULA — The man who admitted to killing over 100 eagles and thousands of other birds on the Flathead Indian Reservation to sell on the black market was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison.
Travis John Branson of Cusick, Washington, and formerly of the Flathead Reservation, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy and wildlife trafficking charges for the unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and violation of the Lacey Act.
The Lacey Act prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of federal or state law.
He and several others killed at least 118 eagles and 3,600 other birds in a poaching operation on tribal land.
Prosecutors say Branson traveled from Washington to shoot, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future black market sales.
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Branson was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
He was also ordered to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution which amounts to $5,000 per eagle killed and $1,750 per hawk killed.
Prosecutors said the sentence was appropriate for the years-long operation Branson was running.
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich told MTN, "Mr. Branson conspired with others on the scheme for which he is charged over the course of six years from approximately January 2015 through March of 2021. But we know he was doing it longer dating back to the late eighties. He thought this was funny, but he's not laughing today."
"The bald eagle, adopted as America’s national symbol in 1782, represents our country’s core ideals of freedom, strength, and justice. Once on the brink of extinction, eagles recovered only because of conservation efforts by the American people and federal laws protecting them. None of that mattered to Travis Branson. Instead, Branson went on self-described ‘killing sprees’ for thousands of eagles and hawks, butchered them, and sold the parts and feathers for profit on the black market. He knew he was committing felonies and even joked his cost to kill them was the price of a bullet. But his conduct was no laughing matter. With today’s sentence, the cost to Branson was more than a bunch of bullets – he forfeited the very freedom the bald eagle symbolizes,” Laslovich said in a statement.
“The unlawful killing of these majestic birds violates federal law and is a profound offense against our nation's cherished natural heritage,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Travis Branson's blatant disregard for the law and the sanctity of these protected species highlights the urgent need for stringent enforcement and greater public awareness regarding wildlife trafficking. His actions are particularly egregious, considering the significant number of bald and golden eagles he killed for personal profit, and such behavior will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect America's wildlife and hold accountable all who are engaged in these illicit activities.”
“We are going to feel the impacts of the Flathead Reservation’s raptor loss for years to come,” said Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson. “We hope this helps put a stop to illegal poaching on our homelands and gives these birds a chance to recover. Eagles are not only a treasured and important part of the Reservation’s ecosystem, but they also have a profound place in CSKT cultural and spiritual practices.”
Another man, Simon Paul, has been accused of trafficking the federally protected birds with Branson but he has not been convicted.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case which was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Fish and Game Department.
