A Washington state man who pleaded guilty to killing at least 118 eagles as part of a wildlife trafficking ring on a Native American Reservation in Montana is set to be sentenced before a federal judge. The trafficking ring operated on the Flathead Indian Reservation and sold eagle feathers and parts on the black market to meet the high demand among tribal members for use in powwows and ceremonies.
The defendant, Travis John Branson of Cusick, Washington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wildlife trafficking charges. Prosecutors revealed that the poaching operation also resulted in the killing of at least 107 hawks and up to 3,600 birds overall. Another individual has been indicted in connection with the case, and additional participants are suspected to be involved.
