Northwest man who killed eagles on Montana reservation as part of massive human trafficking ring will be sent to prison

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man accused of leading a wildlife trafficking ring on an Indian reservation that killed thousands of eagles and hawks to sell on the black market was found guilty Thursday sentenced to four years in prison.

The human trafficking ring operated for years on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana, exploiting tribal members' high demand for feathers and other bird parts used in powwows and sacred ceremonies.

According to prosecutors, the defendant and others killed a total of at least 118 eagles, 107 hawks and up to 3,600 birds.

Young golden eagles in particular were targeted because their black and white feathers were highly sought after by Native Americans, officials said.

The poaching was concentrated on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana, where researchers say there are some of the highest concentrations of eagles and other birds of prey in the United States. Members of the human trafficking ring dumped carcasses of elk, calves and deer and then shot eagles that came to feed on them, officials said.

They would also occasionally shoot hawks from utility poles and other perches.

Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy and wildlife trafficking.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula said during the sentencing hearing that Branson's killing of birds was calculated, extensive and occurred with full knowledge that he was breaking the law.

“If you hadn’t been caught, you would still be doing it today,” the judge said. Christensen ordered Branson to pay $777,250 in restitution – $5,000 for each eagle killed and $1,750 for each hawk.

The sentence was at the high end of federal sentencing guidelines.

Before his sentencing, Branson apologized to the court and his family.

“It’s my own fault,” he said. “I know what I did was wrong.”

In text messages obtained by investigators and presented at trial, Branson wrote about killing birds since the 1980s.

“So many I can’t remember LOL,” Branson said in a text.

Other texts described the shooting of eagles in Nevada and Idaho, as well as cases in which dozens of birds were shot in a single weekend.

“This is just a small glimpse into the killing,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent Mona Iannelli said during the hearing.

A second defendant in the case told authorities that the trafficking ring has been active since 2009 and kills 300 to 400 birds each year.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office said others were also involved.

But Branson was described during Thursday's hearing as an organizer of the trafficking ring – instructing others where and when to shoot birds and then arranging for the sale of their feathers and parts.

“His lack of respect for the sanctity of these protected birds resulted in only one thing: greed,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said after the hearing.

Laslovich added that those who bought the feathers shared responsibility for the murders. The prosecutor said he wanted to alert buyers that their conduct constituted a federal crime.

Prosecutors had asked the judge to impose a “significant” prison sentence and order Branson to pay restitution.

He faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. His public defender asked for a suspended sentence, claiming prosecutors had overstated the number of birds killed.

Federal defender Andrew Nelson also disputed the reimbursement amount, saying it was too high for the Eagles and that the Hawks should not be counted.

Christensen rejected the arguments.

According to Nelson, Branson had no criminal record. He grew up on the Flathead Reservation, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Because of the criminal charges, he lost his job as a maintenance supervisor with the Kalispel Tribe in Washington and suffered a stroke in April, Nelson said.

The large number of birds killed in this case underscores the continued existence of a thriving illegal trade in eagle feathers, despite law enforcement efforts over the past decade that have resulted in dozens of criminal charges across the Western and Midwestern United States.

Mike Dolson, chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, said the loss of so many birds of prey from the Flathead Reservation will be felt for many years. Eagles are important to the reservation's ecosystem and also to the cultural and spiritual practices of tribal members, he said.

“We hope this will help put an end to illegal poaching in our homelands,” Dolson said.

Bald eagles, once critically endangered by the pesticide DDT, have recovered in recent decades and are now found in large numbers. Golden eagles' recovery has been slower, and researchers have warned that the population is on the verge of decline due to shootings, poisonings, electrocutions on power lines, collisions with wind turbines and other threats.

It is illegal to buy or sell eagle feathers or other parts. The government has attempted to offset strong Native American demand for feathers by providing them free of charge from a government depot. But they can't keep up with demand and the final storage facility has a years-long backlog.

According to court documents, Branson earned between $180,000 and $360,000 from illegally selling bald and golden eagle parts between 2009 and 2021.

Christensen allowed Branson to remain out of custody until he reported to prison. The defendant made an obscene gesture toward reporters as he left the courthouse without commenting further.

He waived his right to appeal Thursday's verdict as part of a deal that included dismissal of additional charges.

The second defendant, Simon Paul of St. Ignatius, Montana, remains at large. A federal judge issued an arrest warrant for Paul in December after he failed to appear at an initial court hearing. Court documents indicate he fled to Canada.

Federally recognized tribes may apply to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a permit to take a bald or golden eagle for religious purposes. Enrolled tribal members may request feathers and other bird parts from the National Eagle Repository in Colorado and non-governmental repositories in Oklahoma and Arizona.