BILLINGS, Mont. AP — A man has been accused of killing at least 118 eagles to sell their feathers and body parts illegally, as part of a long-running wildlife trafficking operation in the western U.S. Authorities claim this operation has killed thousands of birds.
Travis John Branson is set to be sentenced on September 18 in federal court for his involvement in this trafficking ring, which operated on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and other locations.
Prosecutors allege that Branson, from Cusick, Washington, earned between $180,000 and $360,000 from 2009 to 2021 by selling parts of bald and golden eagles. They claim he often killed up to nine eagles at a time and cut them into pieces for sale.
Eagle parts are highly valued by Native Americans for ceremonial use. Prosecutors are requesting a “significant” prison sentence for Branson and $777,250 in restitution, which includes $5,000 for each eagle and $1,750 for each of 107 hawks that he and his associates allegedly killed.
Branson’s attorney disputes these claims, arguing that the number of birds killed has been exaggerated. They suggest that the death toll figure, which has varied from 1,000 to 3,600 birds, was inflated to increase public outrage.
The attorney also argues that restitution for the hawks is not justified, as these killings were not included in the grand jury indictment. They request probation instead of prison, citing Branson’s clean criminal record.
Branson and co-defendant Simon Paul, who is currently hiding in Canada, grew up in the Flathead Reservation area. The exact number of birds killed may be higher than documented due to missing text messages from Branson.
Federal law protects eagles, and illegal killings are a significant threat to these birds. Members of federally recognized tribes can legally obtain eagle parts through certain repositories, though there is a long waiting period.
Branson pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wildlife trafficking, and charges related to trafficking protected eagles. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, though prosecutors have agreed to drop additional charges as part of his plea deal. Sentencing guidelines suggest a prison term of about three to four years.